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MALDEN HEALTH SERIES 


IN TRAINING 
FOR HEALTH 

BV 

C. E. TURNER, M.A., Dr.P.H. 

PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH, MASSACHUSETTS INSTI¬ 
TUTE OF TECHNOLOGY; ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HYGIENE, TUFTS 
MEDICAL AND DENTAL SCHOOLS; DIRECTOR OF HEALTH EDU¬ 
CATION STUDIES AT MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS; ADVISOR 
IN HEALTH EDUCATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF 
SCHOOL HYGIENE, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

AND 

JEANIE M. PINCKNEY, ALA. 

CHIEF, BUREAU OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH EDUCATION, 
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS 



D. C. HEATH AND COMPANY 

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO 

ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO DALLAS 

LONDON 




QT ■S'T 
X&& 


Copyright, 1929, 

By D. C. Heath and Company 

2 d 9 


PRINTED IN U.S.A. 


©CIA 8074 

MAY 13 1929 


PREFACE 


This book, like the others in the same series, is the 
outgrowth of experimentation in methods of health 
education. It has been developed from classroom situ¬ 
ations in experimental teaching with fourth-grade 
children. 

The children who use this book will have had a 
health-training program in the earlier grades de¬ 
signed to help them establish a limited number of 
the more important health habits. This book pre¬ 
sents some new features to the child. It is likely to 
be his first health textbook and it presents a new ap¬ 
proach in suggesting that the child may assume more 
responsibility in working out the detailed practices 
of health. The analogy of training for sport is used 
to interest the class in going into training for health 
and in working out a detailed list of those practices 
which are involved in such a training program. Chil¬ 
dren in many of our classes have enjoyed deciding 
upon the training rules and keeping notebooks in 
which these rules are recorded. Such a book gives 
opportunity for the development of a health vocabu¬ 
lary and a means of experiencing many health 
activities. 


IV 


PREFACE 


The knowledge requirements at this grade-level 
are limited. The child’s progress is primarily in 
terms of activity and health training. The teacher 
usually finds it worth while to take an appreciable 
amount of time in considering each of the various 
habits. By class discussion and reports, she will dis¬ 
cover the present status of health practices and the 
habits which need reenforcement. She will probably 
wish to use several exercises in discussion of activi¬ 
ties centering about the rules presented in each chap¬ 
ter. In order to meet the needs of her pupils, she 
may prefer to use the chapters in an order other than 
that presented. The children become interested in 
discussing health practices, and their ideas become 
clarified and organized in so doing. This book serves 
as a guide and stimulus for the health-training and 
the activity program. 

The child’s interest in gaining weight each month 
aids him in developing health practices and meas¬ 
ures for him in some degree the success which he is 
attaining. He comes to feel that his health progress is 
not measured so much by a perfect paper record of 
health practices as by growth and by success on the 
playground and in the classroom. 

This book is based on a program which is positive 
rather than negative. The responsibility for develop¬ 
ing sound practices is turned over to the individual 
pupil so, far as is practicable. Children are com¬ 
mended for their efforts and successes rather than de¬ 
nounced for their failures. Care is taken not to hold 


PREFACE 


the child responsible for conditions over which he 
has no control. Recognition is given to the readiness 
with which children are guided by the judgment of 
the teacher and the class group. 

Conduct and attitude are regarded as more im¬ 
portant than knowledge at this age-level. Without 
direct reference to this problem in the text, we have 
sought to plan a program which develops right men¬ 
tal attitudes. We hope that both teacher and pupil 
will regard health as a means of enriching life, not 
as an end in itself. It is not difficult to make health 
interesting and enjoyable as a school subject. In this 
program we find opportunity to train children to 
rest, to achieve success, to express themselves, to take 
effective action when necessary, to develop normal 
social relationships, and to make the school a 
friendly, happy, and optimistic place. By keeping 
these principles in mind, a great contribution's made 
to the mental health of the child. 

The authors wish to express their thanks and ap¬ 
preciation to those who have assisted them. The 
School Departments of Malden and Cambridge, 
Massachusetts, have provided opportunities for prac¬ 
tice teaching in the development of this material. 
The following persons have read the manuscript and 
contributed helpful suggestions: Miss Georgie B. 
Collins, Director of Health Education, Malden, 
Massachusetts; Miss Olga Anderson, Physical Edu¬ 
cation Department, University of Wisconsin, and 
Miss Sallie Pinckney, Bureau of Publications, 


VI 


PREFACE 


Teachers College, New York City. We wish also 
to express our appreciation to our artist, Mrs. Hazel 
B. Ives, for her painstaking and original work in the 
preparation of illustrations. 

C. E. T. 

J. M. P. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Players in Training ..... . i 

II. Practice.13 

III. Practice Rules in Cleanliness . . 24 

IV. Wholesome Food Practices for 

Growth.38 

V. Good Teeth. 49 

VI. Training in Good Posture ... 59 

VII. How Sleep and Rest Count .... 69 

VIII. Safety Practices.80 

IX. Good Ears and Eyes. 91 

X. Outdoor Training.101 

XI. Training Rules Which Must Not 

Be Broken .in 

XII. Sportsmanship in the Home . . . 120 

XIII. Sports Day at School . .... 131 

Appendix.143 

Height-Weight-Age Tables . . 148 

Index. 150 

vii 












IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


i 

PLAYERS IN TRAINING 

It was the week after school had opened. 
The principal of Marsh School came to the 
fourth-grade room to tell the children and 
teacher about the plans for Sports Day, which 
would be held in the spring. This is what the 
principal said: 

“Sports Day is a day when all the classes 
play games together for fun. The children are 
divided into two teams. Each team tries to win 
in four different ways. The things that will 
count in the score are: 

1. The number of games won by each team. 

2. The number of children on each team who take 

part in each of the different sports and games. 

3. The skill they use in the plays and games. 

4. The conduct and sportsmanship shown by the two 

teams. 


2 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

“These four points help to decide the win¬ 
ning team. Remember that your practice all 
through the year, and particularly your health 
habits, will help you win on Sports Day. I 
hope that the fourth grade will do its share in 
making Sports Day a success.” 

After the principal went out, the children 
wanted to talk more about Sports Day. They 
asked their teacher if they could begin to make 
plans for it very soon. The teacher agreed that 
it would be well to begin at once, because she 
knew that it would take much practice to get 
the class so trained that it could make a good 
score in those four ways. 

Then the question arose, “How can we get 
ready for Sports Day?” Two of the boys and 
one of the girls had older brothers who were 
athletes in high school or college. They told 
the class how their brothers trained every day 
for baseball and football. Perhaps some one in 
your class knows an athlete who is in training 
and can tell what athletic training is like. 
Every one in the class agreed that two 


PLAYERS IN TRAINING 


3 


things are always done in training for sports. 
The athlete follows the training rules given 
by the coach. He also practices the plays of 
the game over and over until he knows just 
how each play is carried out and until he can 
do his part perfectly. 

As the class discussed the plan of going into 
training for Sports Day, the teacher made a 
blackboard list of the things which they 
thought training meant. Here is the list which 
the pupils suggested: 

1. An athlete in training is coached. 

2. He practices regularly. 

3. He obeys the rules of the game. 

4. He plays hard and fair. 

5. He tries to win. 

6. He is a good loser. 

7. He does not boast when he wins. 

8. He takes the best possible care of his body by fol¬ 

lowing the training rules about food, sleep, 
cleanliness, and various other things. 

9. If he is hurt or sick, he gets the best possible 

treatment at once. 

10. He tries to make good marks in his lessons. 

Is their list a good one? Do you think of 
anything which should be added to it? 


4 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

As you look over this list, you find some 
things which you are already doing. When 
you are on the playground at recess time, you 
try to obey the rules, to play hard and fair, and 
to be a good sport. Every one wants to be a 
good sport not only on the playground but 
wherever he goes. 

What does it mean to be “a good sport”? 
Here is a story which will help you to answer 
that question. 

Jack and Ted lived very near each other and 
were in the same class at school. After school 
all the boys used to “choose up” and play base¬ 
ball on the playground. Jack and Ted were 
usually on the same side. One day they were 
asked to be the captains and choose sides. 
They did not like the idea of playing against 
each other at first, but it is part of the game 
for every boy to do the task which falls to him. 
They chose up, and a game started which be¬ 
came hot and furious. By the time the last 
inning began, each boy was most eager to win. 


PLAYERS IN TRAINING 


5 


Ted’s team was one score ahead. It was the 
last inning of the game. Jack’s side was at bat. 
Two men were out and another was on second 
base when Jack came to bat. If he could be 
struck out, the game could be won; but Jack 
did not strike out. He hit the ball far over the 
heads of the fielders and started around the 
bases as fast as he could run, while the boy on 
second base came home to make a score. The 
fielder got the ball before Jack reached third 
and threw it as hard as he could toward the 
catcher, but it was not a very good throw and 
before Ted could get the ball Jack had crossed 
home plate with a winning score. 

Can you imagine how Ted felt to lose this 
game after it seemed so certain that he would 
win it? For a second he felt angry at every¬ 
body and particularly at Jack for winning. 
Then he remembered something his father had 
often said to him: “Remember, Ted, a good 
sportsman is a good and generous loser as well 
as a good winner.” 

Ted wondered what he would say to Jack on 


6 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


the way home. What would you have said? 

What Ted really said was, “Gee, that was a 
great hit of yours, Jack; you won fair and 
square.” 

“Oh, it wasn’t much,” said Jack. “I guess I 
was lucky; that’s all.” 








PLAYERS IN TRAINING 7 

And so they went on home, planning hap¬ 
pily for the next day’s game. 

Nothing more was said about that home run 
for a long time, but six years later something 
happened to show that neither boy had really 
forgotten it. 

Ted and Jack were both in the high school 
and they had both been selected to represent 
their school in a state meet at a big university. 
When they arrived, they were put in the same 
room in one of the men’s dormitories. There 
were to be all kinds of contests at the meet. 
Ted was to compete in the broad jump and 
Jack in the dashes. 

The first day was for trials and the second 
day for the final events. In Jack’s trial race 
there were six runners, and he came in third 
although he was very close to the second man. 
There were eighteen boys in the three trial 
races, and only the first two in each race were 
selected to compete in the final race next day. 

At first Jack could hardly believe that he 
had lost. He had felt so sure of winning. As 


8 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

he started for the dressing rooms and shower 
baths he walked by the pit where the boys were 
broad jumping. He heard some one say that 
Ted Gould had made the best jump yet. Jack 
knew now that Ted would be in the games next 
day and perhaps win the broad jump. This 
made Jack’s disappointment even worse. 

When Ted finished jumping, he looked 
around for Jack, but he could neither find him 
nor find out about Jack’s race. He took a 
shower bath, dressed, and hurried back to his 
room. 

As he came in he saw Jack, with a very long 
face, sitting on the couch with his suitcase 
packed beside him. Ted knew at a glance that 
Jack had lost and that he was going to take 
the first train home instead of staying for the 
rest of the games next day. He felt that he must 
say something to Jack. What would you have 
said if you had been Ted? 

This is what really happened. Jack stood up 
as Ted came into the room. A bit of light came 
into his eyes; he smiled and held out his hand. 


PLAYERS IN TRAINING 9 

“Good boy, Ted,” said Jack. “I heard you 
made the best jump. I’m no good. I didn’t get 
in the finals; so I’m going home. I might have 
gone on the train that just left, but I couldn’t 
leave without giving you a slap on the back 
and telling you that you are a good old pal for 
making such a long jump. Remember once 
when I made a home run and you told me that 
it was a great hit?” 

“Good old Jack,” said Ted as he grasped 
him by the hand. “I’m proud of you. Every 
boy that’s good enough to be sent to this state 
meet is a winner and has something to be 
proud of. And what’s more, you are not going 
back home today. There aren’t a dozen boys in 
this whole state who can run as fast as you can, 
and you talk as though that were something to 
be ashamed of. You have another year at 
school and next year you will race in the finals. 
Jack, you and I are going to stay through the 
rest of this meet together.” 

“Right you are,” said Jack as he began to 
unpack his grip; “and besides, we are going to 


IO IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

shake hands with the boy who wins that final 
race tomorrow and tell him how well he did 
it.” 

“As for that jump of mine,” said Ted, “it 
wasn’t so much, you know.” 

“Good old Ted,” said Jack. “You always 
praise the man who wins and encourage the 
man who loses, but you never get a swelled 
head when you win yourself. Ted, you’re a 
good sport.” 

In what ways were Jack and Ted good 
sports? Did both Jack and Ted have courage? 
What is a good sport? 

How do you like this description: A good 
sport does the right thing, even if the wrong 
thing is more pleasant? 

Sportsmanship is one of the things we learn 
when we are in training. There are many 
things, however, for which one may go into 
training. For example, we may train for 
games, for health, or for citizenship. Would 
it not be fun for your class to go into training 


PLAYERS IN TRAINING n 

for health this year? That would mean to obey 
the rules of the health game and to train your 
growing bodies to be strong and useful. You 
want to grow. You want to become strong and 
attractive as you get older. You want to make 
friends and to be happy. A strong, growing 
body, a quick mind, and a cheerful, friendly 
disposition are signs of health. 

If you want to go into training for health, 
this book will help you to prepare a set of 
training rules. In ball games the coach is the 
one who directs and trains the players. Per¬ 
haps your teacher will act as coach. Look over 
the list of training guides which the fourth 
grade in the Marsh School put on the black¬ 
board to use in training for Sports Day. 

Make up a similar list of training rules of 
your own which you can use as a basis for 
health training. 

Every one who tries can succeed in health 
training. Have you the grit and determination 
to make good in your training for health as an 
athlete makes good in training for contests? 


12 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


Will you help to make the record of your class 
successful? 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Name the team games you like to play best. How 

do you play “Follow the leader”? 

2. What are some of the rules of conduct you should 

practice when playing team games at recess 
time? What do you do when you lose? What do 
you do when you win? 

3. Should you like to have a Sports Day at your 

school? What games could you play? What 
stunts could be given? 

4. How can you become more skillful in your games? 

How can you keep or improve your health? 

5. Do you think that every boy and girl should take 

part in the plays and games on Sports Day? 
Does every one play at recess time? 

6. Why do you think it will take grit to keep in 

training for health? 

7. Do you practice good sportsmanship in other 

things besides team games? 

8. Use sentences with these words: 

training coach good loser 

boast skillful disappointment 

disposition athlete generous 

good sport 


II 


PRACTICE 

In the last chapter we read about training. 
Part of the training program is practice. 
Athletes practice every day. “Practice makes 
perfect,” it is said. Do you think that a player 
could make the team if he practiced baseball 
just one day in the year? If you study music, 
you practice every day. Why is practice im¬ 
portant? Just what does it do for you? 

By practicing we get the habit of doing 
things in the right way. We can see examples 
of forming right habits in any sport. When a 
boy learns to play tennis, he is shown how to 
hit the ball, and then he practices hitting the 
ball over and over again. He is shown how to 
hold his racket correctly. When he does not 
hit the ball right, he is shown how to do it. 
After a time it becomes natural for the player 
to pick up the racket in the right way and to 

hold it in the right way without thinking about 
13 


i 4 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

it. Holding the racket correctly has become a 
habit. He has trained himself—his nerves and 
muscles—to do it that way. 

Habits are formed in the same way when 
you learn to play baseball. The boy who is just 



If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again . 


learning to play is slow in throwing the ball, 
and the ball usually does not go where he 
wants it to go. After he has played enough, 
he can throw it more easily and more quickly. 
He can make it go where he wants it to go. 










PRACTICE 


15 


He throws the ball better, more easily, and 
more quickly. 

Did you ever watch a mother robin or mock¬ 
ing bird teach her baby birds to fly? When the 
wings and tails of the young birds are well 
feathered, the mother bird thinks that it is 
time for them to leave their nest. They drop to 
the ground with a great flutter. Just as soon 
as they reach the ground, the mother bird be¬ 
gins to give them practice lessons in flying. 
She flies here and there, calling and urging 
them to try their wings. At first the young birds 
just hop. They hop awkwardly because they 
find it difficult to balance themselves. Next 
they try to spread their wings. It is not until 
they have spread their wings again and again 
that they become strong enough to lift them¬ 
selves slightly from the ground. 

The mother bird is eager for them to learn 
to fly. She does not get discouraged. She flies 
before them on the ground, showing them how 
and urging them to try. They do try. Between 
trials they squawk out loud cries of excite- 


16 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



ment. After many trials the young birds can 
fly short distances. 

But the mother bird is not satisfied until 
their wings are strong enough to take them up 
to the tree branches. She is happy then because 
they are safe and will soon be able to fly high 
and far. Gradually their muscles grow larger. 
The young birds become strong enough to 
hunt their own food and to protect themselves 
from enemies. 

When we learn skating, swimming, danc¬ 
ing, hurdling, or any new exercise, we begin 
very muqh as the awkward young birds do. At 
first we make mistakes; but as we practice 
over and over, we train the muscles which 








PRACTICE 


17 


help us to do these new exercises. After prac¬ 
ticing a long time, we learn to do them with 
skill. 

When we do an exercise with skill, it means 
that we do it correctly and easily. When we 
say “He swims like a fish” or “She dances like 
a fairy” or “He skates like the wind,” we mean 
that this boy or girl swims, dances, or skates 
with skill. It is not easy to swim perfectly. 
First, there are the arm movements to be 
learned and practiced. Then the leg move¬ 
ments must be tried over and over. Then comes 
practicing the arm and leg movements to¬ 
gether. When you begin, you look like a frog 
splashing around in the water; but it is not 
long before both the arms and the legs are used 
with ease. As you continue to practice, you 
learn to swim longer distances in good form. 
You can swim on your back or on your side. 
When you are older and can swim the length 
of the pool eight times, do fancy dives, and 
teach others to swim, you may be able to save 
lives. 


18 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

Not all of our useful habits are used in 
games. When you learned to dress yourself 
you formed habits. At first it was difficult to 
work the buttons. It was not easy to tell just 
what to do next. You did the same things every 
day until you could dress with skill. Now it 



Those girls and boys succeed in forming habits who are 
willing to practice again and again. 


















PRACTICE 


19 


has become so firm a habit that you hardly 
have to think about how to do it or what to do 
next when you are dressing. When you do a 
thing in the right way over and over, and want 
to succeed, you form a habit. You learn to do a 
particular thing at a particular time. The habit 
reminds you when to do something and helps 
you to do it more easily and more quickly. 

All of us are playing the game of health. 
The rules for the game of health should be 
practiced. The training of our muscles is only 
one rule of the health game. There are others 
equally important. We need to train ourselves 
to be clean, to like wholesome food, and to 
give our tired bodies plenty of sleep and rest. 

We need to practice each of the rules. We 
could not learn to swim very well if we prac¬ 
ticed only one swimming rule. Neither can 
our bodies grow well if only one of the rules of 
health is practiced. 

Can you name some health rules? A great 
many boys and girls are practicing such rules 
as these in their health training: 


20 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

1. Keep the body clean. 

2. Keep the body erect. 

3. Eat the right amount of wholesome food. 

4. Get enough sleep. 

5. Play and exercise in the open air. 

6. Keep the school, home, and neighborhood as 

healthful as possible. 

7. Be happy. 

8. Keep accidents from happening. 

9. Know the health rules and live up to them. 

These rules mean more to you when you talk 
about how to follow them. To say “Keep the 
body clean” is like saying “Throw a curve 
ball.” It tells you what should be done, but not 
just how to do it. In training for athletics, the 
athlete finds out just how to do each thing; 
then he practices doing it the right way. You 
have heard of many of these health habits in 
the earlier grades. Now you are old enough to 
work out a real program of health training for 
yourself. This year you can prepare a set of 
exact training rules, telling just how these 
things are to be done. Then you can practice 
those things which will give you better bodies, 
better minds, and better dispositions. 


PRACTICE 


21 



One of the first things to do in going into training is to 
make sure there is nothing wrong with the body . The 
doctor and nurse help you to do this . 


There are many persons who can help you 
with your program of health training. Your 
friends, the doctor and nurse, can help you to 
take care of your body. The teacher can be 
your coach in health training. Possibly she can 
weigh you each month so that you can see how 
fast you are growing. To gain every month is a 
sign that you are succeeding in your health 
training. Perhaps the class can take a few min¬ 
utes each morning for health inspections and 
for finding out how different pupils are sue- 











22 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


ceeding in their health habits. It may be that a 
milk lunch in the morning is part of the train¬ 
ing program. Father and mother can help you 
to keep the training rules when you are at 
home. 

All these persons will help you, and you can 
help each other. But remember, the most im¬ 
portant things you must do for yourself. No 
athlete was ever made great by what other per¬ 
sons did for him. Fie gained success by his 
own efforts. Your own efforts in following the 
training rules for health will have the most 
effect upon your growth, upon your skill on 
the playground, and upon your success in 
school. 


Practice in Health Training 

1. How did you learn to add numbers in arithmetic? 

How did you learn new words in spelling? 

2. Tell how an animal is trained to do tricks. Can 

you tell how explorers train their dogs for the 
trips to the North and South Poles? 

3. Use these words ,practice, patience, difficult, easily, 

and skill, in sentences telling how you learned 
to play some game. 


PRACTICE 


23 


4. Name some good habits you are practicing. Name 

some bad habits. 

5. If you have the bad habit of eating too fast, how 

can you train yourself to eat slowly? 

6. Who was your coach when you learned to walk? 

To ride a bicycle? To find your way to school? 
To plant a garden? To weigh yourself? 

7. Make true sentences out of these words by putting 

them in order: 

a . try again try If succeed don’t first at you. 

b . bring Daily willingly success done practices. 

c. makes Practice perfect. 

d . work play and easier Habits make. 

e . bodies strong Our are by made practicing 

rules health. 



Ill 


PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 

Have you ever seen a race horse or the prize 
animals at a big fair? How smooth and glossy 
is the coat of a race horse! He looks very dif¬ 
ferent from an old nag with a rough, dirty coat 
which has never received any care. It makes a 
great difference in the appearance of any horse 
if he is well groomed. The great race horse 
always receives good care, but people do not 
bother much with a horse which is of little 
value. 

Are you a “race horse” or a “nag”? It does 
not matter how much your clothes cost, but 
clean clothes and a clean body do matter. They 
show that you are worth “grooming.” Besides, 
the things you do in getting yourself thor¬ 
oughly clean make you feel rested and com¬ 
fortable. 

Are you a good sport about washing your 

hands and face thoroughly? Do you play fair 

24 


PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 25 
in cleanliness? Do you work hard to get really 
clean? Let us see just what things need to be 
done in cleanliness if one is in health training. 

What needs to be done in the care of the 
hands? Think of the number of dirty things 
your hands touch during the day. Perhaps you 



It is easy to forget to wash the ears and neck. 







































26 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

have played a game of marbles on the ground, 
or emptied the garbage, or swept the room. 
Your hands collect dirt from most things they 
touch. The dirt looks like a black mark. It is 
really made up of small particles of soil, dust, 
or other powdered material, or it is a thin coat¬ 
ing of oil or some colored liquid. 

If you have been handling something which 
has been used by a person with a cold or some 
other catching disease, your fingers may have 
picked up some of the disease germs along 
with other dirt. You may be able to see the dirt, 
but you will not be able to see the germs them¬ 
selves. They are so small that they cannot be 
seen with the eye, but they can give you the 
catching disease if they are carried to the 
mouth on dirty hands. This means that you 
must keep fingers and pencils out of your 
mouth. Do you keep your lips closed and keep 
your hands away from your face? 

Children who have the bad habit of putting 
things in their mouths usually chew their pen¬ 
cils. Sometimes they bite their nails. Do you 


PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 27 
have these habits? You need your finger nails 
for picking up small articles, creasing papers, 
and doing many other useful things. 

Once several children were playing a button 
game. One of them hid the button under his 
hands and the child who was “it” had to guess 
where it was hidden. Some of the children 
could not play the game because they could 
not pick up the little flat button. They had 
bitten off their nails until their fingers were 
stubby and clumsy. Taking care of the nails 
makes the hands more useful as well as more 
beautiful. 

Do you know some one with graceful and 
useful hands? Do you think a football coach 
would want on the team a player whose fingers 
were clumsy? 

The coach in the health game says: “Keep 
your hands away from your face. Let your 
finger nails grow. When they need to be 
trimmed, use a nail file to keep them smooth 
and even. Clean your nails when you wash 
your hands. They are easiest to clean then.” 


28 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


If you are a good sport about your clean¬ 
liness habits, you will wash your hands at the 
right time and in the right way. Wet the hands 
first. Use warm water if possible. Use enough 
soap to make a good lather, rinse off all the 



Your hands and nails need to be washed with soap and 
water several times each day. 

























PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 29 
soap, and wipe the hands until they are thor¬ 
oughly dry. Hands which are not thoroughly 
dried may chap. When you have washed your 
hands, leave the wash bowl clean for the next 
person to use. 

There are certain special times for washing 
the hands. A clean person always washes his 
hands before eating so that he will have clean 
fingers to carry food to his mouth. A clean 
person always washes his hands after going to 
the toilet. 

Why is hand washing at school important? 
Why do we like the boys and girls about us to 
have clean faces? 

Do you wash your face thoroughly with 
soap and warm water or do you just splash a 
little water on your face and rub the dirt off on 
the towel? In the morning or at night when 
you wash your face, remember to wash your 
ears and neck. They get their share of dirt and 
need their share of soap and warm water. 
Don’t be satisfied to wash new dirt from your 
face and leave old dirt on your neck and ears. 


3 o IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

Look out for dirt at the edge of the scalp. Use 
your own wash cloth and towel. 

The nose also collects dirt. Particles of dirt 
are drawn into the nostrils with the air we 
breathe. In taking proper care of the nose, use 
a clean handkerchief each day, and blow the 
nose gently. 

One who is in training for health is also 
careful to keep his hair neat and clean. He 
shampoos his hair every two weeks. He uses 
his own comb and brush every day. 

Did you ever think how useful brushes are 
in helping us to keep clean? Can you name 
several kinds of brushes? Some brushes are 
large, some are small; some are black and 
some are white; some are soft and some are 
stiff. Brushes have different shapes, sizes, and 
names, according to their use. They are made 
strong because they have heavy work to do. 
Here is a game about brushes called “Who am 
I?” If you will read very carefully what each 
of these brushes does, you will be able to tell 
correctly which brush is talking. 


PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 


3i 


I 

I have soft black camel’s-hair bristles and a top of 
shining silver. I live in the top dresser drawer with 
hair brush, my cousin. Every morning my master 
takes me from the drawer and gives me a few minutes 
of brisk exercise. Up and down his coat front I run. 
Around and around the coat collar I go; then down 
his trousers’ leg I skip. When I have brushed well 
his whole suit and hat, he puts me back in my place 
in the drawer. Who am I? 

II 

I live on the shelf above the kitchen sink. Because 
I am small and short I have been nicknamed 
“Shorty.” My bristles are very strong. Every day I 
work with at least one of my garden friends, Carrot, 
Beet, or Turnip. Before they leave the sink, I must 
see that they are spotlessly clean. Even though it takes 
a long time to do this work, I like to be with my 
friends. Who am I? 


Ill 

We are five slender brushes hanging in the bath¬ 
room in the sunshine. We have been taught to be 
careful about our habits. Each of us belongs to some 
member of the family. Each of us has his very own 
hook to hang on. We have differently colored handles 
—yellow, green, brown, white, and blue. Once each 
morning and once each night each of us is called 


32 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


upon to clean and shine thoroughly a set of pearls. 
With the help of water and powder we can easily 
keep these pearls shining. Who are we? 

IV 

I also live on a hook near the window in the sun¬ 
shine. I am much larger and stronger than my neigh¬ 
bor, the tooth brush. I do not have regular times for 
my work, but must be ready for use at all times. 
Often my short little bristles are lathered with soap. 
Down under the water I dive and there I struggle 
with ten dirty little fingers until they are as clean as 
they can be. I like best of all to clean nails that are 
strong and well kept. Who am I? 

If you look at your skin with a magnifying 
glass, you will find that it has many pores, or 
openings. In hot weather or when you exer¬ 
cise, your body gives off sweat or perspiration 
through these pores. The best way to keep dirt 
from filling up these pores is by bathing. 

Some people bathe every day. Others do not 
bathe so often. Doctors say that every one 
should take a cleansing bath with warm water 
and soap at least twice a week. Some persons, 
who do not have a bathtub, use a clothes tub, 


PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 33 
a wash basin, or a foot tub to bathe in. By 
using warm water, soap, and a wash cloth, 
the whole body may be made very clean. 

In addition to keeping the skin clean, you 
should keep it in a healthy and vigorous con¬ 
dition. You can do this by taking a cold bath 
daily or by splashing cold water on your face, 
throat, and chest, or you can take a brisk rub 
all over with a dry rough towel. These things 
bring the blood to the skin and give it a warm 
glow. A person who has toughened the skin 
in this way is not very likely to catch cold. 

Our feet need special care. They carry us 
about all day long and certainly deserve some 
attention. The nails of the toes, like those 
of the fingers, need to be kept clean and 
trimmed. Cutting the toe nails square across 
instead of round will prevent ingrowing toe 
nails. A good time to care for the feet is just 
after you have had a bath. 

We have been speaking only of some of the 
ways for keeping the outside of our bodies 
clean, but it is also important to keep the inside 


34 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

clean. Water, fruit, and vegetables help to do 
this. Coarse foods, such as whole-grain bread, 
cereal, and vegetables, act as scrubbing 
brushes in the stomach and intestines. Plenty 
of water between meals also helps to keep us 
clean inside. 

You can now decide what some of your 
training rules about keeping the body clean 
shall be. Would you agree that a pupil in train¬ 
ing for health should do the following? 

1. Take a full tub bath at least twice a week. 

2. Wash his face, neck, and ears with warm water 

and soap at least once a day. 

3. Wash his hands before eating and after going to 

the toilet. 

4. Use a clean individual towel and wash cloth. 

5. Know how to use the wash bowl and toilet prop¬ 

erly. 

6. Keep his nails clean and trimmed. 

7. Carry a clean handkerchief and use it properly. 

8. Wash his hair once in two weeks and comb it 

daily. 

9. Keep his comb and brush clean. 

10. Drink at least five glasses of water daily. 

11. Have a bowel movement every morning. 


PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 35 

It will be a good plan for your class to have 
a cleanliness review each morning. Perhaps 
some of you have seen an army captain review 
a company of soldiers. To review in the army 
means to inspect carefully. The captain care¬ 
fully inspects the soldier’s uniform, shoes, 
posture, and everything about his personal 
appearance. If he discovers a soldier with an 
untidy uniform, dusty shoes, or dirty neck, 
what do you think the captain says? What 
does the soldier do? 

Your class may be reviewed in much the 
same way. One pupil from each row may act 
as the captain. It will be the duty of the cap¬ 
tain to report whether the row which he in¬ 
spects has a perfect record. Each row earns a 
daily score of one on each item for which the 
record is perfect. 

You know how to keep your body clean. 
You also know that you must practice the 
cleanliness rules every day if you wish to make 
a good cleanliness record at school. Are you 
in training to be a race horse or a nag? 


36 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Why do you think any one who washes his hands 

and face carelessly is a poor sport? 

2. Did you ever see a fingerprint? Look at your 

finger under a magnifying glass. Can you see 
both pores and creases? 

3. Why do you think an artist or doctor takes good 

care of his hands? 

4. Name some things that you can do better if your 

nails are well kept. 

5. Score yourself in cleanliness on the following 


points: 

Outside Cleanliness: 

Clean hands. 5 

Bathing twice a week. 10 

Clean nails. 5 

Clean face. 5 

Clean ears . 10 

Clean neck. 10 

Clean teeth. 10 

Clean clothes . 5 

Inside cleanliness: 

Drink 4-6 glasses of water. 5 

Eat fruit every day. 3 

Eat a vegetable every day. 10 

Bowel movement every day. ... 10 

Spirit of honesty and good 
sportsmanship . 10 

Total . 100 
















PRACTICE RULES IN CLEANLINESS 


37 


6. Name some public signs which ask people to keep 

places clean. 

7. Why do many towns have a “clean-up week” in 

the spring? What can you do to help make 
your neighborhood clean? 

8. Place at the top of a large sheet of cardboard some 

of the following articles: comb, wash cloth, 
towel, nail file, orange-wood stick, tooth brush. 
Let each child who has one of these for him¬ 
self put his name under the article. 





IV 


WHOLESOME FOOD PRACTICES FOR 
GROWTH 

Sweetie and Samson were the names of two 
white rats which belonged to some fourth- 
grade children. They were young growing 
rats of the same age and weight. They had soft 
white fur, bright pink eyes, straight backs, 
strong legs, and slightly pinkish ears. They 
were lively, curious, and friendly. 

Sometimes rats are enemies of people, and 
sometimes they are friends. The wild gray rats 
which destroy the farmer’s grains are enemies. 
The farmer tries to get rid of such pests from 
his barn. White rats are easily tamed. They 
are sometimes used as pets and are of real use 
to man. 

Sweetie and Samson were born in a college 
laboratory where tests were being made on 
different kinds of food to find out which ones 
make young animals grow. They were given 

38 


WHOLESOME FOOD PRACTICES FOR GROWTH 39 
to the fourth-grade children so that the class 
could find out which foods would make the 
rats grow best. 

The children kept Sweetie and Samson in 
separate wire cages. Animals, like people, are 
healthier if they live in clean places. The 
children took turns in cleaning the cages 
thoroughly every morning, using soda water 
and a small scrub brush. They put clean torn 
paper in the cages for the rats to sleep under if 
it should turn cold. Every morning a fresh 
supply of food and water was put into the food 
jars. 

After everything was in readiness, the cages 
were put in a quiet place, so that the rats might 
sleep during the day. White rats are almost 
wholly blind in sunlight hours. For this reason 
they like to sleep during the day and play at 
night, when they can see much better. 

Sweetie was fed pure sugar candy and a mix¬ 
ture of cornmeal and salt. Samson was fed 
milk and a mixture of cornmeal and salt. 

Every morning for five weeks the children 


40 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



The children took care of the rats . 


cared for their pets. Every Friday they 
weighed the rats in the balances or scales to 
find out how much they had grown. Rats, like 
boys and girls, must have certain kinds of food 
if they are to build strong bones and muscles. 

At the end of three weeks Samson had 
gained thirty-five grams and Sweetie had lost 



















































WHOLESOME FOOD PRACTICES FOR GROWTH 41 
two grams. (It takes about twenty-eight grams 
to make an ounce.) You remember they 
weighed the same at the beginning. Samson 
had had milk in his diet for three weeks, and 
he was growing into a strong, active rat. 
Sweetie had lost weight. He had no appetite, 
and the children had to coax him to eat his 
food. His fur had a yellow tinge and it looked 
rough. He did not play much, but curled up 
inside the food jar and watched Samson climb 
around and drop from the top of the cage to the 
bottom among the papers. Sometimes Sweetie 
would scratch the cornmeal out of the jar. The 
children thought that he was looking for some¬ 
thing better to eat. 

Since Samson had gained and Sweetie had 
not, the pupils decided that milk must have 
made the difference. They thought that per¬ 
haps candy had cheated Sweetie out of the 
food his body needed. They felt sorry for 
Sweetie and decided to give him milk instead 
of candy. They took the candy out of the jar, 
washed the jar carefully, and put in some milk. 


42 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



The fourth grade proved that milk makes a difference in 
growth. 

The next Friday Sweetie was weighed again. 
What do you think had happened? Sweetie 
had gained three grams. So they kept giving 
him milk. The next Friday he had gained 
seventeen grams. He had not only gained, but 
he had also begun to play. His fur did not look 
so yellow and rough, and his eyes were bright 
and sparkling again. 

The children learned that rats grow better 
on milk than on candy. They wanted their 
teacher to explain the reason why. 




















WHOLESOME FOOD PRACTICES FOR GROWTH 43 

These were the reasons she gave: Milk is the 
best single food known. It makes strong bones, 
teeth, and muscles. Samson’s bones and teeth 
were growing heavier and stronger than 
Sweetie’s. Milk contains health-giving sub¬ 
stances which the body needs. Babies grow 
very rapidly and they live on milk alone. 
There are substances in milk which aid 
growth. Candy does not make strong bones 
and teeth. It does not make one grow. 

Are some of you like Sweetie in your habits 
of eating? If you run off to school without 
your breakfast, you get hungry and cross be¬ 
fore lunch time. You feel that you cannot wait 
until your lunch is ready; so you eat some 
candy. Then you are not hungry when lunch 
time comes. You do not want the milk, vege¬ 
tables, and other good foods which your body 
needs. Without a good breakfast and lunch 
your body is not getting the right kind of food 
for strength and growth. 

You know enough about an automobile to 
know that it will not run without gasoline. 


44 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


The engine chug-chugs and sputters on the 
last few drops; then it stops. Do you think your 
body can work without food? Some of you go 
to school without eating any breakfast. You 
do not feel like playing, and you soon become 
tired. You cannot make up for the lack of a 
breakfast by trying to eat two meals in one at 
lunch time. 

Scientists have learned many things about 
food and its relation to health. They have 
tested many foods to find out which will help 
children to grow properly. From their work 
they have given us some food rules which they 
believe all growing children should follow. 

Here are some of these rules. How many of 
them are you practicing? 

1. Eat three good meals each day. You will feel 
better and do better work if you give your body 
nourishing food regularly. 

2. Eat a warm breakfast each morning. Good 
breakfast foods are fruit, cereal, milk, and toast. 
Sometimes breakfast will include an egg. It is better 
to get up in time to wash and dress properly and have 
a good breakfast than to stay in bed until the last 
minute and then rush off to school hungry. 


WHOLESOME FOOD PRACTICES FOR GROWTH 45 

3. Eat candy only after meals, and then sparingly. 
If you are hungry between meals, drink a glass of 
milk or eat some fruit. Eating candy between meals 
keeps you from having an appetite for wholesome 
food. 

4. Drink at least a quart of milk each day, but no 
tea or coffee. Milk makes bones and muscles. It helps 
you to grow. Tea and coffee do not help you grow. 
They make you nervous. 

5. Eat some fruit and some leafy vegetable each 
day. Fruits and green vegetables such as lettuce, cab¬ 
bage, beet tops, and spinach contain health-giving 
substances called vitamins which aid growth. They 
aid digestion and make it easy to have a bowel move¬ 
ment every day. 

6. Drink at least four glasses of water every day. 
At meal times you get some water from such foods 
as fruits, vegetables, and milk. But your body needs 
more than this. Take time to get a drink of water at 
recess and when school closes. 

7. Eat your food slowly and chew it thoroughly. 
Be cheerful and polite at the table. Don’t talk when 
you have food in your mouth. Take small bites and 
small mouthfuls. Drink water or milk when the 
mouth is empty of food. Good table manners will 
help you to enjoy and to digest your food. 

8. Eat boiled and baked food rather than fried 
food. Most fried food is hard to digest because it is 
greasy. Families today use much less fried food than 
did the families of years ago. 


46 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

To follow these training rules each day will 
test your sportsmanship. Talk over these food 
practices in class and find out what progress 
you are making with them. Are you enough 
of a sport to control your appetite and man¬ 
ners? Are you going to be a Sweetie or a 
Samson? 



Would you know what foods to order in a dining car? 

























































WHOLESOME FOOD PRACTICES FOR GROWTH 47 

You will find, when you follow these whole¬ 
some food practices, that you will continue to 
grow each month. When the doctor examines 
you, he will say that you are healthy and grow¬ 
ing as you should. When your teacher weighs 
you, she will notice how much heavier you are. 

There are several ways to measure growth. 
Probably you are wearing a larger-sized shoe 
than you did last year. Perhaps your mother 
lengthens your sleeves, dresses, or trousers. 
You hear your mother say sometimes, “You 
are growing so fast that I cannot keep you in 
clothes.” Another way you have of telling that 
you are bigger and stronger is that you can 
run faster and do more difficult things than 
you did last year. If your class can plan to be 
weighed each month, you will know just how 
fast you are growing. 

Practice in Health Training 

1. If there is a lunchroom at your school, do you 
think a pupil would be a good sport if he bought 
candy and cakes at the corner grocery, rather 
than a good lunch at school? 


48 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

2. Keep a vegetable chart in your class. List daily 

the vegetables eaten by each pupil. At the end 
of the week list all the vegetables in the market. 
Were all the vegetables in the market found on 
your vegetable chart? 

3. At what age does a child double his weight in six 

months? What food has he had during this 
time? 

4. How many glasses of milk are there in a quart? 

In what different ways do you eat milk in or on 
other foods? Copy from mother’s cookbook a 
recipe in which milk is used. 

5. Keep a record of the milk you drink each day for 

a week. How many in the class drink as much as 
a quart each day? 

6. How much do you weigh? How much does the 

average boy or girl of your height and age 
weigh? How much should you gain each 
month? 

7. Name some things you can do now that you could 

not do last year. 

8. List the fruits each of you ate yesterday. Which 

fruit was eaten by the largest number of pupils? 
Can you name other fruits which might have 
been on this list? 

9. Plan some table manners which you can practice 

at home. See if your father or mother will no¬ 
tice an improvement without being told that 
you are trying extra hard. 


V 


GOOD TEETH 

A dentist is a doctor who takes care of our 
teeth. Years ago, when our great-grand¬ 
parents lived, there were no trained dentists. 
Families had to care for their teeth as best they 
could. There were many home remedies for 
toothache that you would not think of using 
today. Because there were no good dentists, 
toothache was common, and when a tooth 
began to ache, it had to be pulled out. 

Today there are many dentists to take care 
of our teeth. They fill teeth as soon as holes, or 
cavities, are found, and thus the teeth are 
saved. They take special care of the teeth of 
boys and girls. As soon as the new teeth come 
through, the dentist examines them. If these 
teeth are not covered the way they should be 
by the hard enamel coating, the dentist mends 
the tooth with a tiny filling. If this were not 

49 


5 o IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

done, the tooth would later start to decay at 
the spot where the covering of enamel was not 
perfect. The dentist also cleans and polishes 
the teeth of children every six months. Of 
course, every one brushes his own teeth, but 
the tooth brush cannot take off the yellow stain 
which sometimes comes on the teeth. The den¬ 
tist is the person to do that. 

Boys and girls want their teeth to be even 
and pretty as well as clean. A dentist can 
straighten the teeth if some of them are not in 
just the right position. 

One dentist who lives in a city has a long 
list of children’s names on his office book. He 
likes to have children as his patients because 
he can teach them how to take care of their 
teeth. This dentist thinks it is so important for 
children to take care of their teeth that he does 
not let them forget about it. Every six months 
he sends them a note to tell them that it is time 
for him to look into their mouths. The note is 
printed on a small card and is mailed to the 
child. This is what the note says: 


GOOD TEETH 


5i 


Dr. Lynn 

wishes to remind you that 
it is now time for you to 
have your teeth examined 
again. 


He always tells the children that two things 
are very important for good teeth. One is to 
eat the right foods; the other is to keep the 
mouth clean. 

What have you learned in practicing your 
training rules about wholesome food? Can 
you name three kinds of foods that you need 
to eat every day? 

You have talked about these foods at school 
and you hear your mother talk about them at 
home. When you go to the dentist’s office, he 
tells you, also, how important it is for you to 
eat milk, vegetables, and fruit. These foods 
help your body to build strong teeth. Such 
foods as celery and apples give your teeth 
plenty of exercise and help to keep them strong 
and clean. Fruits like oranges and grapefruit, 



52 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

which are slightly acid, also help to keep the 
teeth clean. 

Your teeth need to be strong because they 
have hard work to do. Your front teeth bite off 
food. That is why they are sharp, cutting teeth. 
Your side teeth tear the food apart. Your back 
teeth chew and grind food. They are some¬ 
times called “grinders.” Nature provided us 
with teeth so that we might chew and grind 
our food thoroughly to get it ready for the 
stomach and intestines. 

Once a well-known man went to see a doctor 
because everything he ate seemed to disagree 
with him. “My friend,” said the doctor, “it is 
not what you are eating that makes you sick, 
but how you eat it. If you will eat very slowly 
and grind and grind your food, your trouble 
will go away.” 

After his visit to the doctor the man decided 
that he would time himself whenever he ate. 
He wanted to take at least twenty minutes for 
every meal. At first he would forget to chew 
slowly and grind thoroughly. But after many 


GOOD TEETH 


53 


weeks of practice he formed the habit of eat¬ 
ing slowly and he came to enjoy his food more. 

How much time do you take to eat your 
meals? Do you eat hurriedly and wash your 
food down with water, or do you give your 
teeth plenty of time to chew the food well? 



Every one enjoys his meals more if he takes plenty of 
time to eat. How long does it take you to eat lunch? 
























54 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

A class once worked out a problem with 
their teacher to see how long they should take 
to eat lunch. One noon they all brought their 
lunches to the classroom and ate them while 
sitting at their own desks. Their teacher ate 
with them. The class took time to grind the 
food properly. The teacher timed each one and 
then found the average time for all. As a result 
of their study the children decided they would 
always take at least fifteen minutes to eat lunch. 
The class learned to chew properly, and they 
had to practice good table manners. 

The second important fact which Dr. Lynn 
talks to children about is keeping the teeth and 
mouth clean. Some persons, who are very 
careful about their teeth, brush them after each 
meal. Others brush them only once or twice a 
day. 

There are right ways and wrong ways to 
brush the teeth, just as there are right ways 
and wrongs ways to swim. You practice brush¬ 
ing your teeth every night. A good sport in 
training will not be satisfied to give them a few 


GOOD TEETH 


55 

careless strokes. Instead he remembers that he 
must brush his upper teeth and then his lower 
teeth, in the back and in the front, on the inside 
and on the outside. 

Brushing the teeth does two different things. 
In the first place it cleans the teeth, taking all 
the bits of food from between them. In the 



























56 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

second place it rubs the gums briskly. The 
gum is the soft pink flesh around the teeth. 
You should brush the teeth up and down and 
not just crosswise. Brushing up and down 
cleans the teeth better. Can you tell why? It 
also rubs the gums more. This helps the circu¬ 
lation of blood in the gums and keeps them 
firm and healthy. 

When you are brushing your teeth, do not 
forget to brush the tongue. Rinse your mouth 
with cold water when you finish. 

You are going to use this brush again and 
you want to keep it clean. Wash your brush 
under running water, hot water if possible. 
Hang it in a clean place away from dust. 
If you can put it where the sun will shine 
on it, so much the better. When you are 
ready to use it again, it will be clean and 
dry. 

The most important time to brush the teeth 
is at night before going to bed. This makes the 
mouth clean for the long hours of sleep. You 
will also want to brush your teeth each morn- 


GOOD TEETH 


57 


ing. Begin to practice this habit now if you 
have not done so in the past. Notice how much 
better your mouth feels after your teeth have 
been brushed. 

When you were little, you had a set of baby 
teeth. The teeth you have now are your grown 
ones. They are to last you the rest of your life. 
Already you have twenty-four. In a few years 
you will have eight more, making thirty-two 
teeth in all. Four of these will appear when 
you are about twelve years old. These are 
called the “twelve-year molars.” The other 
four will come later. They are usually called 
the “wisdom teeth.” 

In Dr. Lynn’s office was a poster on which 
were printed some rules about the care of the 
teeth. As you read Dr. Lynn’s poster, decide 
upon what your training rules for the care of 
the teeth will be. If you find it hard to practice 
any of these rules, ask your teacher to help 
you. 

Here is the poster which was hanging in 
Dr. Lynn’s office: 


58 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


The Care of the Teeth 

Visit the dentist twice a year. 

Eat plain wholesome foods and avoid sweets. 
Exercise your teeth and gums by grinding your 
food. 

Brush your teeth at least once a day. 

Keep your tooth brush clean. 


Practice in Health Training 

1. Why are babies given liquid foods? Why do old 

people need to eat soft foods? 

2. In what ways would you have a hard time if you 

did not have any teeth? What are your teeth 
used for? 

3. Keep a calendar in your bathroom. Cross off each 

day as you remember to brush your teeth. 

4. Count your teeth by feeling each one with your 

tongue. Can you feel that they are shaped dif¬ 
ferently? Why do they have different shapes? 

5. Make a list of foods which give the jaws vigorous 

exercise. 

6. Make a list of foods which help clean the teeth. 

7. Tell what you can about the way these animals 

use their teeth: the cow, the beaver, and the 
dog. How does the elephant use his tusks? 

8. What do these words mean: cavity, decay, exer¬ 

cise , circulation, rinse, enamel, polish, acid? 




VI 


TRAINING IN GOOD POSTURE 

Many of you can remember how you en¬ 
joyed a new toy automobile which was in per¬ 
fect shape and would run when wound up. 

Did you ever have such a toy which had 
been bent and would not work until it had been 
straightened? Perhaps some one had stepped 
on it. The wheels were bent and the sides were 
pushed in so much that the spring could not 
work. Try as you might, you could not make 
it run until the bent places were straightened 
out. 

Sometimes you sit at your desk or stand in 
line like a bent toy. Do you suppose that your 
insides work better when your body is in such 
a position? When you droop your shoulders 
and let your chest sink in, your lungs have 
little room in which to breathe and to do their 
work properly. Possibly you sleep so doubled 

59 


6 o IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

up that your lungs, heart, and stomach are 

crowded and cramped. 

There are many reasons why we want good 
posture. Do you remember the rhyme about 
the “crooked man who walked a crooked 
mile”? He must have been very uncomfortable 
when he walked. Do you think he might have 
walked the mile more quickly if his body could 
have worked better? When your body is erect, 
you feel well because all of your machinery 
has a chance to work properly. Your move¬ 
ments are graceful and easy. Your erect body 
shows others that you have courage and self- 
respect. 

Now is the time for you to get good posture. 
Your bones and muscles are growing and tak¬ 
ing form. As you grow older, they become set 
and it will be difficult to change their position. 

To gain good posture is easier for some 
children than for others. A straight body 
comes from practicing, not merely from wish¬ 
ing. Every one can gain better posture by 
working for it. Those who gain it through 


TRAINING IN GOOD POSTURE 61 

their own effort deserve most credit. When 
you have it, you must earn the right to 
keep it. 

Do you know of any famous person with 
excellent posture? What does he do to keep his 
body in good shape? 

Let us see just what is meant by good pos¬ 
ture and how it may be gained. “Stand tall!” 
is a command that is given at school when 
pupils are asked to take correct standing posi¬ 
tion. This reminds them to bring themselves 
out of any slouch they may be in. Each day 
when you “stand tall” you do several things 
which bring your body into good posture. In 
raising your head, your chin goes in and 
back where it belongs. Your back is straight¬ 
ened and your chest is raised. If you are in this 
position, with your abdomen pulled in- and 
your toes pointed straight ahead, you are in 
good standing posture. 

Sometimes school children have pictures 
taken of themselves to find out what kind of 
posture they have. These are called shadow 


62 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

pictures because they show only the dark out¬ 
line of the body. Look at the shadow pictures 
on this page and compare the postures of the 
different children. What are the points which 
make one posture good and another bad? 

What does your shadow show you about 
your posture? Remember that you will keep 



Shadow pictures tell whether you have good posture . 
























TRAINING IN GOOD POSTURE 


63 



Good posture may become a habit . 


good posture by practicing the training rules 
each day. Imitate the Indian carrying a water 
jug. Improve your posture by reminding your¬ 
self to stand tall, to keep the chin in and the 
abdomen flat, to point toes straight ahead, to 
walk with ease and grace. 

When you walk, sit, or stand, you seldom 
think about the way to do these things because 
you have done them over and over again for 
such a long time. You already have the habit 
of walking or sitting in a particular way. 
Sometimes when you are tired, or when you 








6 4 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 




Good writing posture. Stand tall for good posture. 


are careless, you slump and let your body 
droop. 

It is not enough to know how to take good 
posture upon command. The important thing 
is to remember to keep good posture when you 
are standing, walking, or playing. 

Often you have to wait in line at school. For 
example, you stand in line for lunch, for wash¬ 
ing your hands, or for your turn in a game. 
While you are waiting, remember the posture 
rules and get the feeling of standing correctly. 

You may also need to practice good sitting 
posture. Every one likes to sit easily and com- 









TRAINING IN GOOD POSTURE 6s 

fortably. If one is to do this, he must have a 
suitable chair and hold his body in a good 
position. When one has gained the habit of 
sitting properly, it is more comfortable and 
less tiring than to slouch. 

In order to sit properly, push back in the 
chair and place the feet flat on the floor. If 
you lean forward, bend from the hips; do not 
curve the back. The chair or seat should be 
just high enough so that your knees can make 
a square corner, or what is called a right angle, 
when you are sitting in this position. Ask your 
teacher to look at your sitting position. Notice 
some pupil whom the teacher selects as sitting 
in the right way and see what are the points of 
good sitting posture. 

At school, seats are usually adjusted or 
changed at least twice a year so that each pupil 
will be in a seat which is the right size for him. 
The desk is adjusted to the right height so that 
the arms rest upon it easily when you are writ¬ 
ing. Be careful to sit facing straight ahead 
when you write. Do not twist the body to the 


66 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

left because this pushes up the right shoulder 
and lets the left shoulder drop down. From 
such habits as these, many people come to 
have a right shoulder which is higher than the 
left. 

Read the sentences below. In each blank 
space there are the same number of dashes as 
there are letters in the word which is left out. 
Write down on a sheet of paper the word 
which you think has been left out in each 
sentence. Then read the sentence with the 
word in its place and see whether the class will 
agree that it is the right word. When you have 
found the correct word, you will have learned 
a rule about good standing or sitting posture. 

1. Walk like an Indian with your-point- 

ing straight ahead. 

2. Stand tall. Pull your-in and 

lift up your-. 

3. Hold your-high. 

4. Sit with your-flat on the floor and your 

-pushed well back against your chair. 

3. Bend the body forward from the-- 

when writing at your desk. 




TRAINING IN GOOD POSTURE 67 

We spend so many hours in sleep that it is 
well worth while to see that we sleep in a 
proper and comfortable position. The way you 
sleep has something to do with the way you 
stand. Stretch out comfortably in bed. Use a 
low pillow or, better still, none at all. This will 
help to keep your body lines straight. 

You have learned some ways to practice 
good posture. Wholesome food, enough rest, 
and plenty of sleep will also help you to build 
a body which is strong and straight. If you 
feel well and strong, you are likely to hold 
your body erect. If you are sick and tired, the 
body is likely to droop. 

Learn to tell good posture when you see it 
in other people. Get and keep good posture 
yourself. 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Silently imitate a sad person, then a happy per¬ 

son. Silently imitate a tired person, then a 
rested person. Could you express these actions 
very well without using your body? 

2. The class may walk around the room in good 


68 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

posture. Let the teacher decide whether you 
stand tall and walk with ease and grace. 

3. If your principal wishes to send some one to take 

an important message, why do you think he 
might choose a pupil with good posture ? Could 
he choose you? 

4. How many hours do you sleep at night? Do you 

sleep in a comfortable outstretched position 
during all these long hours or do you sleep tied 
up in a knot? Why does a scout prefer to sleep 
without a pillow? 

5. Recall the story of the Three Bears. Why did the 

middle-sized bear have a middle-sized chair? 
Why do schools have small desks for the first- 
grade children and large desks for the fourth- 
grade children? 

6. Can you think of some ways of improving your 

sitting posture when you are reading at home? 

7. Why should you avoid carrying your little 

brother or sister? Why should your little 
brother or sister not try to lift you? 

8. Tell a good way of carrying your boqks to school. 

9. Make a poster with good posture practices on it. 

10. As a special way of gaining good posture, try this 

stunt. Stand with your heels a few inches from 
the wall. Then flatten yourself against the wall 
so that your body touches it from your hips up. 
Swing forward from the ankles and walk away 
with the head and body in this position. 


VII 


HOW SLEEP AND REST COUNT 

Did you ever read or hear any stories about 
the opossum? Do you know what a clever 
animal he is? Let me tell you what is meant 
by “playing possum.” 

The possum is an animal about the size of a 
large cat. He lives in the southern states. His 
name is really opossum, but he is usually 
called “possum.” He has dark coarse hair with 
a yellow tinge. His nose is sharply pointed 
and his tail is long and sleek. He lives chiefly 
on insects. In the fall of the year, when per¬ 
simmons are ripe and sweet, he feeds upon 
them and gets very fat. He likes to eat young 
chickens too. After dark he often goes sneak¬ 
ing to the chicken house. When the hens hear 
him, they cackle loudly. 

The farmer gets his lantern quickly and 
goes quietly toward the noise. When the pos¬ 
sum sees the farmer coming, he drops on the 

69 


70 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



Playing possum. 

ground and becomes quite limp. He closes his 
eyes and makes believe he is dead or asleep. 
He is too lazy and fat to run; so he tries to 
fool the farmer. To make believe that you are 
asleep is “playing possum.” 

Did you ever play possum? There are many 
times when this is a good thing to do. Some¬ 
times when you are very tired of playing, you 
stop and rest. Did you ever see a football 
player roll over on his back and play possum? 
He takes a few minutes out of his play to rest 






HOW SLEEP AND REST COUNT 71 

and relax. He loosens his muscles, keeps his 
eyes closed, and rests quietly. When the coach 
blows the whistle, the player is quickly on his 
feet again, ready to play. 

When you are playing a game, sometimes 
you call out “King’s excuse!” or “Time out!” 
This means that you wish to stop a minute to 
rest because you are short of breath or tired. 
Remember it is as much a part of the game to 
rest as it is to play. 

Sometimes you are very tired after long 
hours of play, work, study, riding, or walking. 
If you have been sick, you may tire very easily. 

Your body needs to rest. When night comes, 
you begin to yawn, stretch, and rub your eyes 
because you are so sleepy and tired. Sleep rests 
your muscles, your brain, your eyes, and all 
parts of your body. Your heart gets rest be¬ 
cause it does not have to beat as fast during 
sleep as when you are working and playing. 
Sleep makes you feel cheerful and ready for 
work. One can often tell from the way a child 
acts that he is having too little sleep. 


72 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



A daily rest period is a good health practice. 


Two important times for rest are before and 
after eating. Were you ever too tired to eat? 
A rest period before the meal will help you 
enjoy your food more. Did you ever feel 
sleepy after you had eaten? A short rest after 
eating will help you digest your food. 

It has been found that a child grows most 
rapidly during sleep when his body is relaxed. 
A sleep program has been worked out for chil¬ 
dren of different ages, showing how much 




































HOW SLEEP AND REST COUNT 73 

sleep every child should have. This program 
tells you when to go to bed and when to get up. 
Find out from the table below what your hours 
of sleep should be so that you may train your¬ 
self in the right way. 


Hours of Sleep for Children 


Age 

Bed Time 

Rising Time 

Hours 
of Sleep 

6-8 

7 P.M. 

7 A.M. 

12 

8-10 

7:30 P.M. 

7 A.M. 

n x /2 

10-12 

8 P.M. 

7 A.M. 

11 


When mother reminds you that it is bed 
time, what do you do? What do you say? Do 
you go at once and get ready for bed? There 
are many things to do in getting ready for bed. 
You get your sleeping clothes. Then you pre¬ 
pare to wash. Sometimes you take a bath. 
When you do not bathe, you wash your hands, 
face, and neck. You brush your teeth. You 
hang up your clothes so that they may air dur¬ 
ing the night. You open your windows at top 
and bottom to let in the fresh air. 

In the summer time you want your windows 


74 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



Fresh air, sleep, and rest will help to make you strong. 

open wide because you like to feel the cool, 
fresh night air. In the winter time some people 
forget sometimes that we need fresh air just the 
same. Should you like to know how to raise the 
windows in your room on a very cold night? 
You do not want to raise all your windows, be¬ 
cause the cold wind will chill you. Yet you do 
wish to have enough air coming into your 
room. By opening the window just a few 
inches at the bottom and at the top you will 













HOW SLEEP AND REST COUNT 75 

have plenty of fresh air circulating in your 
room. You will find it more comfortable to use 
covering which is warm but light, rather than 
heavy covering. 

Look at the picture of a bedroom. You can 
see from the window where the fresh air comes 
in and where the used air goes out. The fresh 
air comes in at the bottom and in the middle of 
the window. The used air goes out at the top of 
the window. On a cold night arrange your 
windows in this way and see if you do not 
enjoy the fresh air. 

In some homes there are sleeping porches 
where children sleep out of doors the year 
around. In the cold north, people sleep mostly 
indoors. When summer comes, everybody in 
the north, south, east, and west tries to spend 
some of the summer days out in the open. 
Summer time is camping time. It makes you 
feel good to sleep in the open. You have a 
better appetite and more energy because you 
are breathing fresh air. 

Once people thought that night air was 


76 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

harmful. Now we know that it is just as health¬ 
ful as day air. 

In the summer, children from the city often 
spend their vacations in an open-air camp or 
open-air school. Perhaps some of you have 
been in a summer camp and can tell some of 
the things that are done there. 

Every camp has certain rules for the 
campers to follow. There are rules about play, 
study, sleep, and eating. There are rules about 
cleanliness and the care of your tent. At one 
such camp, high up in the mountains on the 
edge of a beautiful lake, the campers live in 
cottages and tents. When each camper arrives, 
he is given a copy of the rules of the camp and 
is asked to follow them. These are the rest and 
sleeping rules: 

1. Go to bed when taps are blown. 

2. Open the flaps of your tent wide. 

3. Use enough light-weight warm covering, but not 

too much. 

4. Do not use a pillow. 

3. Air your clothing during the night. 

6. Rise when reveille is blown in the morning. 


HOW SLEEP AND REST COUNT 77 

7- Air the bed clothes each morning. 

8. Rest before and after eating when possible. 

9. Relax during your rest periods. 

At night time the camp supervisor visits 
each cottage and tent to see that all are com¬ 
fortable and that all lights are out. You cannot 
sleep well with a light burning in your room. 
Sometimes the supervisor finds a camper 
sleeping in an awkward position and shows 
him a better one. 

The clear call of the bugle awakens every 
one in the morning. The campers rise 
promptly. They are rested and ready for the 
activities of the day. Before breakfast each 
camper suns his bed clothes. After breakfast 
he puts his room or tent in order. 

During school months you need some train¬ 
ing rules for sleep and rest. Do you not think 
that you might use these camping rules? Per¬ 
haps you would like to change some of them 
or add a few rules of your own. Write these 
rules on the blackboard so that every one may 
know what your training rules are. 


78 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

A good way to train yourself to go to sleep 
promptly would be to imitate the possum. As 
soon as you get in bed, close your eyes, relax, 
and make believe you are sound asleep. 

Most of you have been in training for health 
now so that you do not have to be reminded to 
follow the rules, to be a good sport, and to 
practice hard. You are the kind of boys and 
girls who make good campers and who can 
teach others how to camp. Long hours of sleep 
in the fresh air will count toward making you 
strong and healthy. 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Name signs that tell when you are sleepy. Should 

we wait until we are very tired before we go 

to bed? 

2. Name some things that you should do at night if 

you want to go to sleep quickly. 

3. Answer each of the following questions by the 

word yes or no. 

a. Should children stay up every night until 

their parents go to bed? 

b. Does rest help children to have good pos¬ 

ture? 

c. Is it good to rest before lunch? 


HOW SLEEP AND REST COUNT 


79 


d. Do strong children need rest? 

e. Do all children need rest and sleep? 

/. Do fourth-grade children need more sleep 
than eighth-grade children? 

4. After your arithmetic or writing lesson, take a 

few minutes to relax. Can you relax as well as 
the possum? 

5. Examine the picture of the girl who is asleep. 

Why is the position in which she is sleeping 
a comfortable one? 

6. Can you sing some song about sleep or recite some 

poem which tells about sleep? 

7. Make a poster describing one of the camp’s rules 

for sleep and rest. 

8. Perhaps you can make a model camp on a wide 

board. Use scissors, paper, sticks, rocks, green 
shrubs, and other small articles. 

9. Keep a record of your sleeping hours for a week. 

How many of the children in your class slept 
eleven hours each night? 

10. Have a radio talk on sleep and rest. Imagine the 

radio is near the door in the classroom where 
the speaker may stand. 

11. What does “when taps are blown” mean? 


VIII 


SAFETY PRACTICES 

Name some safety signs you have seen on 
electric cars, public buildings, elevators, and 
streets. These signs remind every one to be 
careful. 

To play the safety game calls for team work. 
Every one must play fair if the safety game is 
to be won. Children who live in large cities 
are taught safety rules about crossing the 
streets. They watch for the Go and Stop sig¬ 
nals. Before they cross, they look to see if the 
way is clear. They wait their turn to cross the 
street. 

A good sport will patiently wait his turn. 
He. plays fairly in the safety game and does 
not try to cross the street before it is time. If 
he crosses out of turn, he may have to pay a 
penalty. A penalty in your team games is a 
forfeit, something which must be given up be¬ 
cause the right thing was not done. What 

8o 


SAFETY PRACTICES 81 

penalty do you think you might have to pay if 
you crossed the street out of turn? 

Children who go to rural schools need to 
have safety rules also. Some children in the 
country walk to school; others ride. Those 
who walk on the highway must remember to 
be careful and watch for automobiles. The 
children who ride in the school bus must obey 
certain rules. 

The school board selects a careful driver 
who has a steady hand and head, and who has 
good ears and eyes. Read the rules below for 
the children who ride in the bus and tell which 
of these require good team work and sports¬ 
manship. Tell also which of these rules 
the children themselves can be responsible 
for. 

1. W^it until the bus has come to a complete stop be¬ 

fore you get on or off. 

2. Observe all traffic rules, especially at crossings. 

3. Stop before railroad tracks; look and listen for 

trains before crossing. 

4. Do not talk to the driver except when necessary. 

5. Help the driver by your good conduct. 


82 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



Children can help the bus driver by being careful to obey 
the safety rules . 

























SAFETY PRACTICES 83 

You can help to make your school and com¬ 
munity safe if you will follow such rules 
whether riding on a street car or bus. In some 
schools there is a safety program each year at 
which the school children tell what they have 
learned about safety. Sometimes there is a 
poster contest in which attractive posters are 
made by the children. 

Look about your yard and home to see if 
you can find anything that is likely to cause 
an accident. There may be old boards with 
nails in them or a loose plank in the porch 
steps. If there is something which you cannot 
fix, talk to your father or mother about the 
danger. They may not know about it. Make a 
list of the things you can find which might 
cause accidents at home. 

In one school the boys and girls made scrap¬ 
books which told all about Safety First in their 
town. They wrote compositions about safety. 
Some of the best of these papers were read 
before all the grades during assembly period. 
These children helped to make their homes and 


84 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

community safe. What are you doing to pre¬ 
vent accidents and fires? 

Now that you are older and wiser you can 
teach younger children how to avoid danger. 
Sometimes younger brothers and sisters want 
to play in the street or go too near deep water. 
You can explain to them why it is dangerous 



You can help to train younger boys and girls in safety. 



























SAFETY PRACTICES 


85 

just as your mother and teacher have explained 
it to you. 

A fourth-grade teacher once wrote this sen¬ 
tence on the board: “A good look may save a 
good life.” She asked her pupils to explain the 
meaning of it. Then she told them this story. 

Ginger was a puppy only eight months old. 
He lived at Hillcrest, a farm three miles from 
town. One Saturday Ginger went to town for 
the first time with Master John and John’s 
father to help buy groceries. At the sound 
of street traffic Ginger became excited. 
He jumped and snapped at all the passing 
cars. 

“Be quiet, Ginger! Be quiet,” said John. 
But he found it difficult to explain to Ginger 
just why he should not bark at these strange 
sights and noises. He held Ginger tightly in 
his arms until they reached the grocery store. 
John knew that dogs were not welcome in the 
store; so he left Ginger in the car. 

“Now, Ginger, stay right here and don’t 


86 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

bark!” said John. Then he ran to catch up 
with his father. 

As soon as John had disappeared, Ginger 
jumped down out of the car. He ran here and 
there smelling of everything. This was Gin¬ 
ger’s way of becoming acquainted. Once in a 
while he ran back to the car to see if John had 
returned. Then off he would run again. Ginger 
had been smelling something he thought was 
good food. He decided to cross the street and 
find out what it could be. 

He found it almost impossible to cross on 
account of the passing cars, but he thought he 
would try it anyway. So he ran into the street, 
barking and snapping at the fast moving cars. 
Without warning, a car came around the cor¬ 
ner. Quickly Ginger turned to run back on 
the sidewalk. But before he could take one step 
the car had run over a front leg. He gave one 
loud yelp after another. By the time he limped 
back to John’s car his yelps were very faint. 
He curled up under the running board of the 
car, waiting for John to return. 


SAFETY PRACTICES 87 

At last Ginger saw John coming. He began 
to quiver and make little sounds. He tried to 
lift his right foot but could not. John quickly 
picked up his puppy and examined the legs. 
He could see that one leg was badly hurt. He 
tried to stand the puppy on his feet, but Ginger 
gave pitiful little cries and trembled. 

By the time his father arrived, John had de¬ 
cided what he should do. He had helped the 
school doctor several times when health ex¬ 
aminations were being made, and he learned a 
great deal about what doctors did. 

“A doctor is one of a child’s very best 
friends,” he remembered his teacher saying. 

“He was friendly. I shall take poor little 
Ginger to him. I know he can stop the hurt,” 
thought John. 

John’s father told him he thought the school 
doctor would be too busy to help with his 
puppy. 

“But, Father,” said John, “Miss Bell says 
Dr. Williams is one of our best friends. Please 
let me take Ginger to him.” 


88 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

“Very well,” said John’s father, “I will take 
you to his office and you can have Ginger at¬ 
tended to while I finish the shopping.” 

As John sat in the doctor’s waiting room 
holding Ginger very carefully, he felt sure that 
the doctor would help him. 

“Dr. Williams does not know my puppy, 
but he does know me,” thought John. 

“Hello, my little man. What can I do for 
you?” asked Dr. Williams. For a minute the 
doctor’s voice startled John. He became too 
timid to talk. But Ginger spoke by making 
quivering little hurt sounds again. 

“Oh, it’s the dog. Let me see how he is hurt,” 
said the doctor. He examined first one leg and 
then the other. 

“Fm afraid one leg is broken,” said Dr. 
Williams. “Come, let us go into the office and 
put it in splints.” 

While the doctor carefully bound the broken 
leg, he talked with John about Ginger. John 
smiled. He was glad to know that Dr. 
Williams knew so much about dogs. 


SAFETY PRACTICES 


89 

What automobile safety rules for boys and 
girls can you make from the story of Ginger? 
What questions do you think the doctor asked 
John about his dog? What did John tell his 
father about the doctor? 

Practice in Health Training 

1. On a sheet of paper fill out these safety signs. Be 

able to tell where you have seen them. 

a. Stop, look, and--. 

b. Safety-. 

c. Dangerous curve — — -—-—. 

d. Watch your-. 

e. Make it a-- Fourth of July. 

/. Rats and matches are sometimes enemies of 

g. Prevent-fires when camp¬ 

ing. 

h. Play ball on the playground but not in the 

2. How do policemen, firemen, and watchmen help 

to prevent accidents? 

3. Does your school have a fire drill? What is the 

school fire signal? Why should everybody re¬ 
spond at once to the fire signal at school? 

4. Tell how your mother practices safety rules at 

home. 







9 o IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

5. Write a short story about what causes most acci¬ 

dents in homes. 

6. Make a pasteboard Stop-Go signal. Take it to 

the first grade and tell the children about the 
safety rules for crossing streets. 

7. Does practicing safety rules help to keep you 

well? 

8. The class may plan some way to send a letter to 

the State Safety Council or Department to ask 
for printed material on safety. 



IX 


GOOD EARS AND EYES 

A wee small girl, not much bigger than a 
brownie, went for a walk one day through the 
town flower garden. There were many beau¬ 
tiful flowers and there were singing birds in 
the trees. Wee Brownie, for that was the name 
her father had given her when she was a baby, 
had wished that she might see what was over 
on the other side of the big garden. Today she 
decided to walk over there. 

When she came to the edge of the flower 
garden, she could see a big building with beau¬ 
tiful colored glass windows. Wee Brownie 
thought it was the most beautiful building she 
had ever seen. She wanted to see what it looked 
like inside; so she crossed the street and 
entered the building. 

At first, all was darkness and she could not 
see much, but after standing still for a few 
minutes she could see better. Then she walked 


91 


92 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

until she stood in the center of the building, 
where she could look up at the high ceiling 
and the beautiful windows. The windows were 
much more beautiful inside than out, for the 
sun was shining through the stained glass. 

Wee Brownie thought she had never been in 
such a quiet place before. As she started away 
she thought she heard tiny footsteps. She was 
curious to know if any one lived in this beau¬ 
tiful place. She called, “Hello.” 

Quickly there came a wee reply, “L-o-o.” 

Again Wee Brownie sang out “Hel-lo-o-o,” 
and the same wee voice replied, “L-o-o-o-o-o.” 

“Who are you?” asked Wee Brownie. 

“Y-o-u,” sang back the wee voice. 

Then Wee Brownie laughed right out loud, 
for she knew where the voice came from. 
Quickly there came ringing in her ears a wee 
musical laugh that sounded like her own. 

Now whenever Wee Brownie walks in the 
flower garden, she remembers to go to the big 
building so that she may talk with her friend 
whom she calls “Wee Echo.” 


GOOD EARS AND EYES 


93 



The ear is a delicate instrument and needs to be well 
cared for . 



























94 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


Did you ever stop to think about the number 
of beautiful sounds your ears hear every day? 
Music, songs of birds, laughter, airplane 
whirs, and the whistling of the wind are some 
of the pleasant sounds we enjoy. Sounds travel 
through the air in waves and our ears pick up 
the sound waves. 

Your ears are finely made instruments, and 
you do not want to let anything happen to 
them. If anything goes wrong with your ears 
or if something gets into them, you do not hear 
well. Sometimes people become deaf. 

Your teacher or the school doctor tests your 
ears to find out how well you can hear. Per¬ 
haps you have had your ears tested by listen¬ 
ing to a watch or by hearing some one whisper 
to you. In some schools the hearing of the 
pupils is tested by a sort of telephone called the 
audiometer. How are ears tested in your 
school? 

Some children have a play way of testing 
their hearing, which they call the “Listen-a- 
while Game.” You may like to play it. When 


GOOD EARS AND EYES 95 

the signal “go” is given, you close your eyes 
and listen very carefully to all sounds. You 
may hear loud sounds near you or small sounds 
far off. When the signal “stop” is given, you 
open your eyes and tell the number of noises 
you have heard. The child hearing the greatest 
number may name them. 

Did your doctor ever put a piece of cotton 
in your ear? Did you ever put stoppers in your 
ears when you went swimming? If you did, 
you discovered that you could not hear as well 
because the sound waves could not enter your 
ears. Sometimes when you have had a cold, 
your ears may have felt stopped up, and you 
may have had an earache. If such a cold is 
neglected, it may cause one to become deaf. 
Just as soon as you discover that there is some¬ 
thing wrong with your ears, report it to the 
school nurse or to your doctor. 

Your eyes, also, are finely made instruments 
and need to be well cared for. You yourself 
can do most to protect them and give them 
good care. Your teacher or the school nurse 


96 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



When you study, read, or sew, place your chair so that 
the light comes over the shoulder and there are no 
shadows on your work. 


may test your eyes, but she cannot take care 
of them from day to day. 

Look at the picture of the boy reading. He 
is sitting so that the light comes over his 
shoulder. Is not this a better way to sit than to 
face the light? Notice, too, that he is holding 
the book about eighteen inches from his eyes. 

Have you ever noticed that the size of the 
pupil, or the black spot at the center of the 
eye, is not always the same? Here is a good 
way to see how the pupil changes in size. Let 



































GOOD EARS AND EYES 97 

the members of the class stand in the aisles by 
twos. One child of each pair will look out of 
the window where the 
light is brightest and the 
other will look toward 
the darkest cornet of the 
room. After a few sec¬ 
onds, let each child no¬ 
tice the size of the pupils 
in the eyes of the other. 

Then let the children 
change places and notice 
the size of the pupils as 
before to see what change 
has taken place. Is the 
pupil larger or smaller when bright light en¬ 
ters the eye? When the light is dim, the pupil 
becomes larger so that more light can. enter. 

This is what happened to Wee Brownie’s 
eyes when she entered the dark building. Out¬ 
side, the sunlight was bright and the pupils 
were small. If the pupils had been wide open 
then, the bright light would have hurt her eyes. 



The size of the pupil 
changes with the 
amount of light . 













98 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

When she first entered the dark building, she 
could not see anything. Then her pupils grew 
larger to let in more light and she could see 
quite well. 

Have you ever noticed that your eyes feel 
uncomfortable if you try to read where the 
light is either too dim or too bright? In either 
case the eyes soon tire. The light should be 
steady and not flickering. You have just 
learned that the pupils become large when the 
light grows dim and become small when the 
light grows bright. If there is a flickering 
light, the pupils are trying to change their size 
all of the time. 

If you sit too near the moving-picture 
screen, you notice that the pictures flicker. It 
may hurt your eyes or give you a headache. 
What kinds of street lights or house lights 
flicker? What kinds of lights are steady? 

When you read or study at home, do you sit 
so that the light will come over your shoulder 
and fall upon your book? Notice how far you 
are holding your book from your eyes. Why 


GOOD EARS AND EYES 


99 


should you not rock and read at the same time? 

When you write, the light should come over 
your left shoulder so that there will be no 
shadow on your work. 

If your eyes tire easily or if you have a head¬ 
ache often, it may be a sign that the eyes need 
attention. If they feel badly, do not rub them, 
for that will make them worse. You may need 
to go to an eye doctor to have them examined. 
Some children need to wear glasses so that 
they can see better. If your doctor wants you 
to wear them all the time, do as he tells you. 

Of course, you want to have good ears and 
eyes and you want to remember to take good 
care of them. Here are four training rules 
every boy and girl in training for health 
should practice: 

1. Protect your ears and eyes from any kind of in¬ 

jury. 

2. Have your ears and eyes tested every year. 

3. Avoid flickering light, shadows, bright lights, and 

dim lights. 

4. Go to a doctor if your eyes or ears are giving you 

trouble. 


IOO 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Name some of the things you could not do if you 

could not hear or if you could not see. 

2. What should you do when you have an earache? 

3. What should you do when your eyes hurt? 

4. How does good hearing help you to avoid acci¬ 

dents? During storms on the coast, a sea captain 
is often kept out of danger by the cries of the 
sea gulls on the rocks. Explain this. 

3. Give two reasons why an air pilot wears goggles. 

6. Make a rule about looking at airplanes on sunny 

days. 

7. Why should you not read on a train or street car? 

8. Write a short story about “How I take care of my 

eyes when I go to motion pictures.” 

9. Find the word which fits into the blank spaces 

and which will make a correct sentence. Write 
the sentences on the blackboard. 

a. When I read, the light should come from 

over my-. 

b . When reading, I should hold my book about 

-inches from my 

eyes. 

c . Light from over the right shoulder throws a 

-on my writing. 

d. Earache is a warning sign, and I should go 

to see a-. 

e. I could not enjoy music unless I had good 







X 


OUTDOOR TRAINING 


Look at the picture of the two plants. The 
two bulbs from which these plants came were 
planted on the same day. One was later placed 



in the window in the sunshine to grow. The 
other was placed in a dark closet. Each day 
they were given water. After four weeks they 
were placed together on the teacher’s desk. 
The bulb which was given plenty of sunlight 
and water grew into a sturdy green plant. The 

IOI 

















102 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

one kept in the dark grew rapidly, but did not 
grow strong. It was yellow instead of green, 
and its stem and leaves were limp. This 
showed that it was not a healthy plant. 

Boys and girls who spend all of their time 
indoors may be like the plant grown in the 
dark. You need sunshine to make you grow 
strong. Your bodies need it to give them 
color. Can you tell the difference in the color 
of a boy who has lived out of doors and one 
who has stayed indoors out of the sun? Per¬ 
haps you may know some one who takes sun 
baths. Some children who have lived in a big 
city all their lives where they could not play in 
the sunshine need to take sun baths. Sunshine 
on the body gives a coat of tan to the skin and 
helps to make the bones strong. Some of you 
have become tanned in the summer time when 
you were on the coast or at a farm. Others have 
been tanned by going swimming. 

There is a right and a wrong way to get 
tanned. You may have known a boy or girl 
who tried to become well browned in one day. 


OUTDOOR TRAINING 


103 


Instead of being nicely tanned, he was red, 
blistered, and sick. The right way to get your 
skin tanned is to get it used to the sun little by 
little. When taking a sun bath, remember to 
protect your eyes from glare. You may do this 
by wearing an eyeshade, by using dark glasses, 
or by covering the eyes with a dark cloth. First 
let the sun shine on your legs and arms for a 
few minutes only. After several days, you may 
stay a longer time in the sun and you may let 
it shine on more of your body. Gradually your 
body will be tanned all over. 

A coat of tan will help to keep you well and 
strong during the winter months. It will make 
your bones stronger, and you will be able to do 
harder tasks than you did last year. 

People who live in countries where the sun 
shines all the year around usually have brown 
skins. Sometimes the sun is too hot, then it is 
best to be protected from it during the middle 
of the day. This is why the Mexican wears a 
sombrero, or “shade hat.” 

In the hills of Mexico a race of Indian peo- 


104 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

pie live who are famous as great runners. The 
men, women, and children can all run long 
distances. They spend much of their time in 
the open air. They practice running and de¬ 
velop strong bones and muscles. These In¬ 
dians have hardened their brown bodies by 
living in the fresh air and sunshine. 

You too are in training to develop strong 
bones and muscles. Play a part of every 
day out of doors is one of your training 
rules. American children know how to play 
many outdoor games. Besides the ball games, 
they enjoy skating, swimming, hiking, and 
bicycling. They have great fun playing with 
kites, tops, and marbles. They build caves, 
houses, and carts. Which of these games do 
you like to play best? 

When you weed the garden, chop wood, 
rake the yard, or do any kind of work, you ex¬ 
ercise your muscles in the same way that you 
do when you play. There are muscles in all 
parts of the body—in the legs, arms, hands, 
feet, abdomen, back, neck, and face. The heart 


OUTDOOR TRAINING 105 

is a large organ made of muscle. It needs to 
be strong to pump the blood to all parts of the 
body. Vigorous exercise is needed to keep all 
muscles of the body strong. 



There is health in outdoor exercise . 





io6 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



Fresh air makes you feel very much alive and it gives 
you a good appetite. 

When you sit on the floor and play a game 
of jackstones, what muscles do you use? When 
you hike or weed the garden, what muscles are 
used? Which of these exercises requires the 
greater number of muscles? Every day in 
summer and in winter you should play some 
game or do some work for exercise. 











OUTDOOR TRAINING 107 

Play and work in the open air give you a 
good appetite and make you sleep soundly. 
To have the fresh air blowing on your skin 
makes you feel very much alive. Sometimes 
you have gone into a room where the air was 
so still that you felt uncomfortable. When you 
stepped into the open air again, how good it 
felt as it blew against your skin. It is well to 
remember that our skins like to be bathed in 
fresh air as well as to be bathed in water. 

Loose clothing gives the air a better chance 
to bathe the body and to keep the skin in a 
healthy condition. Sometimes when you wear 
high boots or overshoes, your feet do not 
get enough air. When you get your shoes off, 
you feel much better. Perhaps you have worn 
a rubber raincoat. Do you remember how 
much more comfortable you were when you 
got where you could take it off and let more 
air get to your body? Loose clothing allows 
you to stretch, kick, and exercise freely. It is 
much more comfortable and sensible than 
tight clothing. Garters, belts, and other tight 


108 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

clothing interfere with the circulation of the 
blood. 

During vigorous exercise you sweat, or per¬ 
spire. This is a way your body has to cool it¬ 
self. Because you feel warm after exercising, 
you may want to cool off too quickly. It is dan¬ 
gerous to do this, for you may chill your body. 
Just as soon as you stop exercising, put on 
your sweater to keep from chilling your body 
and taking cold. This is a strict rule which 
every coach requires his players to follow. 

When you exercise, you breathe more rap¬ 
idly and your lungs take in'more air. Lungs 
are large air sacs in the chest. It is their work 
to take in the air and pass it on to the blood. 
Your nose warms and cleans the air, making 
it ready for your lungs. The hairs in your nose 
strain out particles of dust. The moist walls 
dampen as well as warm the air. You see now 
why you should breathe through your nose in¬ 
stead of through your mouth. Your mouth can 
neither clean nor warm the air properly. Give 
your lungs a chance to do their work well by 


OUTDOOR TRAINING 109 

keeping your mouth closed and breathing 
through your nose. Remember that your lungs 
benefit by being completely filled as they are 
when you play hard. 

Once there was a neighborhood in which all 
the children played together. The mothers 
were good friends, too. One day the mothers 
were talking together and they decided to 
make some play rules which all the children 
would obey. These rules were: 

1. You may play together in the open air every day. 

2. You must stop play and come home immediately 

when called. 

3. Do your work in the same spirit as you play. 

The children liked these rules because every 
one did the same thing. The mothers noticed 
how much some of the children were benefit¬ 
ing from the sunshine, fresh air, and exercise. 
They agreed to add the following rules to the 
list: 

4. Wear your clothing loose and comfortable. 

5. Put your sweater on after vigorous exercise. 

6. Tan your skin little by little. 


I IO 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 
What do you think about these training 
rules for fresh air and exercise? Can you think 
of any others? 

Practice in Health Training 

1. On which side of a house do most plants grow 

best? Why? How does the grass look when it 
is growing under a board or stone? 

2. Were you ever in a house which had a sun parlor 

or sun porch? Describe how it looked. 

3. Explain how the farmer and the sailor get their 

coats of tan. 

4. Name a game which makes you breathe deeply. 

Name one which makes your heart beat faster. 
3. Why is a blanket thrown over a race horse when 
the race is finished? 

6. When do you have the best appetite? Does fresh 

air or exercise have anything to do with it? 

7. How do you feel when you sit in a room with no 

fresh air blowing in? 

8. What can your class do to help keep the air in 

your schoolroom fresh and cool? Do you have 
a thermometer inspector? 


XI 


TRAINING RULES WHICH MUST NOT 
BE BROKEN 

Athletes in training in high school or col¬ 
lege have many training rules which tell them 
how to play the game and what to do to keep 
the body in good condition. They are also 
warned against certain things which they must 
not do. Two training rules which athletes have 
always been told they must never break are 
the rules which forbid the use of alcohol and 
tobacco. 

The athlete is told that he will be put off the 
team if he breaks training by drinking or 
smoking. If he thinks so little of his body and 
has so little loyalty to the team as to use alcohol 
and tobacco, he should get off the team and let 
some other player take his place. These harm¬ 
ful substances keep the athlete from doing his 
best work. He is unfair to himself and to his 
team when he uses them. Let us find out just 


ill 


112 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

how and why these substances injure the body 

of the athlete or of any person. 

Doctors who have studied the harm which 
comes from using alcoholic drinks (wine, 
beer, and whiskey) find that these drinks make 
the work of the heart much harder. The heart 
beats faster and more feebly. It has been 
found also that people who have the habit of 
using alcoholic drinks do not, as a rule, live as 
long as other persons. 

What alcohol does to the brain and nerves 
is noticed most quickly. When a man takes 
enough alcohol, he loses all control of his body 
and mind. He is unable .to move and he does 
not know what is going on any more than 
when he is asleep or when he takes ether. 

When one takes a smaller quantity of alco¬ 
hol, the result may not be so severe and he may 
only partly lose his control of body and mind. 
The results are similar, however. He may 
make mistakes or do poorer work. Alcohol al¬ 
ways interferes with the best use of the body. 

A man who has been drinking does not have 


TRAINING RULES MUST NOT BE BROKEN 113 
a clear brain. Often he does not know just 
what he is saying. Some men become silly and 
foolish. Others are made cross and ill-tem¬ 
pered. Such a man is often unkind to his wife 
and children. He will do things under the 
influence of liquor which he would never do 
if he were himself. He feels stupid, sick, and 
cross. He sleeps poorly and does not have a 
good appetite. 

People do not want to employ a man who 
drinks. No engineer is allowed to work on a 
railroad if he uses alcohol, because such a man 
is not in full control of his body and mind. He 
cannot be depended upon, and that might cost 
the lives of the passengers. The engineer must 
have a quick mind, a steady hand, and a clear 
eye. He cannot have these and have alcohol 
too. 

You see that alcohol is an enemy which may 
rob a whole family of its happiness. A man 
may spend money for liquor which he should 
use for something else. Then he loses his job 
and does not earn money. He may become 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



The airplane pilot does not use alcohol. 

cross and unkind toward the people at 
home. 

A pilot of an airplane must have a steady 
hand and eye. He must be able to think and act 
wisely and quickly. You would not feel safe 
if you rode in an airplane with a man who 
drinks. If he is strong, alert, and steady, he 
will be trusted with people’s lives. If you 






TRAINING RULES MUST NOT BE BROKEN 115 
were planning to ride in an airplane, you 
would like to know that the pilot could be 
trusted. 

There is another reason for not using alco¬ 
holic drinks. Because of their dangerous ef¬ 
fects, this country has passed a law forbidding 
their manufacture and sale. A person who 
makes or sells alcoholic liquors is disobeying 
the law, and a person who buys them is really 
encouraging the seller to disobey the law. 
Good American citizens want to obey the laws 
of their country, and to help other people to 
keep the laws. 

Did you ever hear a scout repeat his oath? 
This is what he says: 

On my honor I will do my best to do my 
duty to God and my country and to obey the 
scout law; to help other people at all times; 
to keep myself physically strong, mentally 
awake, and morally straight. 

You are training yourself in health because 
you wish to be a successful citizen. To be suc¬ 
cessful, you must know the effects of alcohol 


ii6 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

and avoid its use. These are some facts you 

should know: 

1. Alcohol interferes with health because it poisons 

the body. 

2. Alcohol weakens self-control. 

3. Alcohol keeps one from doing his best. 

4. Alcohol causes one to make mistakes, because it 

makes the hands shaky and the mind sluggish. 

The other thing which coaches forbid ath¬ 
letes to use is tobacco. This is also a harmful 
substance. It is not as dangerous as alcohol, 
but it does injure the body, as we shall see. 

It is more harmful to boys and girls than to 
grown-ups, because it hinders growth. Young 
animals do not grow well if they are given to¬ 
bacco, because it contains a harmful drug 
called nicotine. Children who work in tobacco 
factories have been found to be stunted, which 
means that they have not grown as much as 
they might. Many boys who have begun to 
smoke without realizing this danger have 
found that they grew better and felt better 
when they went into training for health and 
gave up this habit. 


TRAINING RULES MUST NOT BE BROKEN 


1 17 



No boy who uses alcohol or tobacco can stay on the team . 


Smoking also interferes with the memory. 
Young people who smoke a great deal become 
forgetful. They are less likely to be cheerful 
and happy. They often have headaches and 
buzzing noises in their ears. 

Smoking has a bad effect upon the heart. 
Many people who have heart trouble are for¬ 
bidden to smoke by their doctors. It is said that 










ii8 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

smoking reduces the size of the lungs and that 
it makes the mind work less well. 

When a person first smokes, it often makes 
him quite sick and dizzy. This is a warning 
from the body that tobacco is not good for it. 
All scientists are agreed that tobacco is injuri¬ 
ous to growing boys and girls. 

You may know some coach who does not 
allow the boys on his team to smoke. This is be¬ 
cause he is interested in the health of the players 
and because he wants each one to do the best 
he can in the game. If a player in training is 
asked to smoke or drink, he politely refuses, by 
saying, “No, thanks, I am in training.” 

Smoking interferes also with training for 
the game of health. Every one should learn to 
refuse things which are harmful. To refuse to 
do something which injures the body is manly. 
To be persuaded to do something harmful is 
not manly; it is weak and foolish. To be manly 
enough to control oneself and keep away from 
harmful things is practicing one of the im¬ 
portant training rules. 


TRAINING RULES MUST NOT BE BROKEN 119 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Use the following words in sentences: 

alcoholic poison prohibit 

prevent alert successful 

interfere steady reliable 

2. Explain why using tobacco is not a clean habit. 

3. If a man smokes three cigars each day and they 

cost him ten cents apiece, what will smoking cost 
him each month? What other useful thing 
could he buy with the money saved in one 
month? 

4. Explain what is meant by self-control. Do you 

ever have to practice self-control about eating 
candy? 

5. Why is it harmful to take a drug or a drink that 

keeps you from sleeping well? 

6. Why is it manly to refuse to take an alcoholic 

drink? 

7. Explain the meaning of this sentence: “Alcohol is 

an enemy and not a friend.” 


XII 


SPORTSMANSHIP IN THE HOME 

You have learned that a good sport can do 
the right thing even when the wrong thing is 
more pleasant. You know how to be a good 
loser. You have learned to wait your turn in 
the line at school. In the morning health re¬ 
view you have reported your health practices 
faithfully. Have you thought that good sports¬ 
manship requires you to be a good sport at 
home as well as at school? 

Making a happy home is a game which 
must be played by every member of the family. 
If one member of the family is not a good 
sport, the others find it difficult to keep a 
cheerful home. Did you ever hear the story 
about “What Mother Owes Billy”? 

Once upon a time there was a boy called 
Billy. He was ten years old. He lived with his 
father and mother in a big city. Every day he 

did many things to help his mother at home. 

120 


SPORTSMANSHIP IN THE HOME 121 

One afternoon Billy’s mother had many 
things she wanted him to do. As he was com¬ 
ing home from the last errand, he saw a mes¬ 
senger boy leaving a package at a house and 
being paid for it. “Gee,” said Billy, “if mother 
paid me for all the things I do, I would have a 
lot of money. She ought to pay me too.” 

As he went on home, Billy thought out a 
scheme. What do you suppose it was? 

He went to his room and sat down with a 
piece of paper and a pencil. This is what he 
wrote: 




to *t^v C 

65 OL^Cto 


\SawJz 

S Cfixvvto 

lo Cosrj^ 
) 0 Cc^v-Jt^ 


Just before supper Billy put the paper be¬ 
side his mother’s plate. She found it before the 



122 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

rest came to supper, but she did not say any¬ 
thing about it. Billy watched her eagerly. 
Once he wondered if she were cross about it. 
She did not seem to be cross; yet she did not 
mention the letter. “Will she give me the 
money, I wonder?” thought Billy. When he 
went to bed he was still wondering how it 
would come out. 

The next morning, when he went to break¬ 
fast, he found a piece of paper beside his plate. 
This is what it said: 



What do you suppose Billy did when he 
read that note? What would you have done? 




SPORTSMANSHIP IN THE HOME 123 
Billy just threw his arms around his mother’s 
neck and said, “I love you too, mamma. I 
didn’t mean what I wrote on the paper.” 

Billy had found out that home is a place 
where people do things for each other cheer¬ 
fully and without pay. Do you suppose he was 
a better sport for that? You have your part to 
do at home. Do you do it cheerfully? 

Does mother have to pick up things after 
you? Do you bring dirt into the house on your 
shoes or are you careful to take off your rub¬ 
bers and wipe your shoes before you go in? 
Do you take off wet clothing and wet shoes 
as soon as you get home? Do you help mother 
by keeping your clothing neat and clean? Do 
you close screen doors behind you? 

When mother tells you it is time to go to bed 
at night, what do you say? When she calls you 
in the morning, do you get up promptly or 
does she have to call you many times? Do you 
get up quickly even when it. is more pleasant 
to stay in bed? 


124 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 



This boy has formed the habit of washing his hands before 
he eats . 


You have already learned some training 
rules about food. If you are a good sport at 
home, you get cleaned up properly before you 
go to the table, and when you are at the table 
you have good manners. You try to be polite 
and cheerful because that makes the meal time 


















SPORTSMANSHIP IN THE HOME 125 
pleasanter for every one. It also helps you to 
digest your food more easily. 

You sit properly while you are eating. You 
take small bites and small mouthfuls. You eat 
slowly and chew your food thoroughly. You 
do not try to talk when you have food in your 
mouth, and you drink your water or milk only 
when the mouth is empty of food. You do not 
handle another person’s food. These are some 
of the things you do if you are playing the 
health game at home like a good sport. 

Sometimes father helps you to a new vege¬ 
table and asks you to try some of it. Do you 
act like a baby or do you really give the vege¬ 
table a good trial? Perhaps he gives you 
money to buy your lunch at school. If you are 
a good sport, you select a good lunch. 

What kind of bathroom manners have you? 
A thoughtful boy or girl will leave the bowl 
and tub clean, will hang up the towels and 
leave the room in good order. The next person 
using the bathroom will find it clean, and he 
will leave it orderly. 


126 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

Sometimes it may seem hard to tell the truth 
about your health practices if you have been 
careless or forgetful. If you fail to practice the 
right thing, be honest about it and that will 
help you to remember next time. 

Once there was a school in the country up 
in the hills. There were many children in the 
building but only one teacher. Every morning 
the children inspected each other to check up 
their cleanliness habits. The teacher was in 
training, too, and each morning she was in¬ 
spected. 

One morning she came late to school. Dur¬ 
ing the health review, when the captain was 
inspecting the teacher, she said: “I am sorry, 
but I did not brush my teeth this morning 
because I was called across the road to help a 
neighbor who was sick.” 

The children were sorry, too, but they were 
glad to know that they were not the only ones 
who did not always have a perfect report. 

Here is a scoring plan by which you can 
find out how much you score in sportsman- 


SPORTSMANSHIP IN THE HOME 127 
ship at home. For each rule in which you 
think you have a perfect record, give yourself 
a score of ten. If you think your record is not 
perfect, give yourself a score of less than ten, 
according to what you think it should be. 
Write down your scores on a sheet of paper 
and add them up. What can you do to raise 
your score? 


Score Card 

Points 

1. I help cheerfully with the work at home. - 

2. I do not sulk when I am displeased. 

3. I obey immediately when called. 

4. I control my temper. 

5. I set a good example to my younger broth¬ 

ers and sisters. - 

6. I am a good sport at the table. - 

7. I take off wet clothes promptly. 

8. I help keep the bathroom clean. - 

9. I follow the rules of cleanliness. 

10. I am honest even when it hurts. 

Practicing good sportsmanship in these 
ways not only adds to the happiness of others ; 
it also makes you happier. Much of your hap¬ 
piness comes from doing things for other peo- 


128 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

pie. To practice good sportsmanship is much 
like practicing the golden rule: “Do unto 
others as you would have them do to you.” 
Being an example to younger children, obey¬ 
ing without grumbling, and doing your work 
cheerfully are ways you have of making others 
happy as well as yourself. 

These practices of good sportsmanship are 
good for your body also. Going to bed 
promptly helps you to get the right number 
of hours of sleep. Being cheerful at the table 
and eating your food properly helps you to 
digest your food. Taking off your wet clothes 
promptly keeps you from getting a cold. 

Perhaps you know of some boy who has 
benefited by what he has done at home as did 
John Gray. John always seemed busy. Often 
when the other boys were playing games on 
summer mornings, John would be whitewash¬ 
ing the fence, mowing the lawn, washing win¬ 
dows, or helping to make a garden. By the end 
of the summer, he was deeply tanned and his 
muscles were hard and strong. Even his father 


SPORTSMANSHIP IN THE HOME 


129 


was surprised when he felt the muscles in 
John’s arm. 

When school opened in the fall, the boys 
began at once to plan for team games. John 
was made captain of his class team. He won¬ 
dered why. When he talked with his father that 
night, he told him that he had been made cap¬ 
tain. His father smiled and said, “Well, old 
boy, I guess working around the place last 
summer wasn’t so bad after all. And I am just 
as proud of the back fence and the garden as 
I am of your being made captain.” 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Let the girls in the class act a good sportsmanship 

story about dish-washing. 

2. Let the boys act a good sportsmanship story about 

whitening the back fence. 

3. How can you be a good sport toward a new child 

who may enter your school? 

4. What are some of the signs of happiness? Find a 

picture which expresses happiness to use in a 
good sportsmanship poster. 

5. Explain what is meant by this sentence: “What is 

worth doing at all is worth doing well.” 


130 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

6. Keep a record for a day of the good turns you do 

at home and at school. 

7. Finish these sentences: 

a. You can get your exercise from both play 

and-. 

b . Boys and girls can help more at home if they 

are well than if they are-. 

8. What picture or book have you seen or read lately 

which tells a story of a good sport? 





XIII 


SPORTS DAY AT SCHOOL 

Do you remember from the first chapter of 
this book the plan for Sports Day at Marsh 
School? Perhaps you would like to know what 
the program was like. The second Friday in 
May was selected as Sports Day. Many plans 
were made by the teachers and pupils. The 
children sent written invitations to their par¬ 
ents, the school board, and to others who were 
interested, to come and join the games with 
them. 

For several days much time was used in 
getting the school grounds ready. Distances 
and spaces were measured off for the different 
games. There were white chalk lines marking 
the boundaries for the races and relay games, 
and there were courts for the ball games. Bags 
filled with sawdust were placed as bases for 
the baseball games. Three white-line circles 

were made ready for the stunts and tumbling. 

131 


132 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


On the day for the sports a flag was flown 
from the pole. Folding chairs and benches for 
the visitors lined the sides of the field. All sorts 
of balls, gloves, bats, and nets were at hand 
ready for use. 

“What can be happening?” asked every one 
who passed the playground that day. 

“Oh, it is Sports Day. We are all going to 
play games, run races, and do stunts. Some of 
the grades are having matches in volley ball 
and baseball,” said the children to those who 
were curious. 

When the pupils assembled in the after¬ 
noon, each was wearing either a red or a blue 
arm-band, according to the team in which he 
had been placed. The team making the highest 
score in the games, having the greatest num¬ 
ber of children taking part in each contest, 
and showing the best sportsmanship and skill 
would be awarded the championship pennant. 

Everything was in readiness and the chil¬ 
dren were eager to begin. At last the whistle 
blew. Away went the teams in the sixty-yard 


SPORTS DAY AT SCHOOL 


133 



Every one works hard to help the team win . 


race! Away hopped the boys and girls in the 
hopping relay! There were double relays, all- 
up relays, and over-and-under relays. Exciting 
























134 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

baseball and volley ball games were on. Wher¬ 
ever a game was in progress, there were teach¬ 
ers acting as referees and scoring the teams. 

Every child was working hard for his team. 
There were times when their sportsmanship 
and skill were tested. The children had been 
training for so long in team games and in 
health practices that it always seemed easy for 
them to decide quickly what was best to do. If 
a child asked for “time out,” his team mates 
remembered to wait patiently. Most of the 
children did not find it hard to control their 
tempers. After each game the players remem¬ 
bered to put on their sweaters. 

After the relays and ball games were fin¬ 
ished, the stunts were started. This was the 
part of the program that the children liked 
best, for they wore brightly colored costumes 
and did their stunts to music furnished by the 
high-school band. The three rings in which 
stunts were going on made the playground 
look like a three-ring circus. The children imi¬ 
tated the kangaroo, the tiger, the elephant, the 


SPORTS DAY AT SCHOOL 


135 


horse, and the giraffe. They pretended they 
were jumping-jacks, wheelbarrows, and rock¬ 
ing horses. 

After this came the tumbling. There were 
clown suits of red and white and others of blue 
and white. Often the people on the side lines 
showed their enjoyment by clapping. The 



The children imitated different animals. 






i 3 6 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

children were very happy. The teachers were 
pleased, too, for their pupils were showing the 
good results of hard practice. 

When the stunts and tumbling were over, 
each team divided into groups and played 
its favorite game. Slap Jack, Cat and Rat, 
Tommy Twiddler’s Ground, Hunt the Fox, 
and Jumping the Rope were some of the 
games played. When these games were over, 
both teams joined in playing tag. The mem¬ 
bers of the Red Team tried to tag the members 
of the Blue Team and the Blue Team tagged 
the Red Team. When any one was tagged, he 
had to stand still with his hands on his hips as 
a sign that he had been touched and was out 
of the game. 

While this game was going on, the judges 
were in the schoolhouse scoring the teams. 
When they appeared on the playground, the 
whistle was blown and all the grades assem¬ 
bled to hear the report. Every one was very 
quiet as the principal stood up to give the 
judges’ decision. 


SPORTS DAY AT SCHOOL 137 

“I have the pleasure of announcing that the 
Red Team has the greatest number of points 
and is declared the winner,” he said. 

Cheers went up, and every one applauded 
the team. Then, unexpectedly, the Red Team 
gave nine ’rahs for the Blue Team. There was 
much cheering and the principal had to wait 
until all were quiet again before he could 
finish speaking. He took from his pocket a 
pennant on which were large letters spelling 
C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N, Before he gave the pen¬ 
nant to the Red Team he said: 

“I am pleased to present this pennant to the 
team which had the highest score in games 
won and also the best all-round record in the 
number of children taking part in the games, 
in sportsmanship, and in skill.” 

Again cheers, yells, and hurrahs were heard 
everywhere. The Blue Team and their teach¬ 
ers circled around the Red Team and sang the 
school song. All went home feeling very 
happy about their first Sports Day. 

The next day at school the fourth-grade 


i 3 8 IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

children and their teacher talked over the dif¬ 
ferent things that had happened. The question 
of having a Sports Day next year was brought 
up. “Are you willing to go into training again 
next year?” asked their teacher. 

It seemed that every one wanted to go into 
training more than ever. Several children told 
how much fun they had had practicing the 
training rules. The teacher then said she 
wanted to talk to them about keeping in train¬ 
ing during the summer. This is what she said: 

“It is not long before ‘the good old summer 
time’ will be here. You and I are always glad 
when vacation time comes, for it seems more 
fun. You will be glad that school is over and 
that there is more time for play. You will eat 
more, sleep more, and rest more during the 
summer. I wonder how many of you are so 
well trained that you will keep up your health 
practices during vacation time? Your mother 
will help you, but you yourself will have to 
remember to keep in training.” 

Then their teacher placed berore them a 


SPORTS DAY AT SCHOOL 139 

large poster which had a picture of an air¬ 
plane on it. Across the wings were written 
these words, “The Spirit of Good Health.” 



health practices during the summer will show 
whether you have the spirit of good health. 
















































i 4 o IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

“It is going to be a long journey,” the 
teacher explained, “from the time school is out 
until it opens in September. Some of you will 
spend your vacation at the seashore; some will 
go to the country; others will have a good time 
at home. I am going to put all of you into the 
Spirit of Good Health and send you off on 
your vacations for a jolly good time. 

“When school opens in the fall I expect 
each one of you to return with the Spirit of 
Good Health. This means that you are going 
to try hard during vacation to keep growing 
by practicing your health rules. When school 
opens in the fall, I shall look for tanned skins, 
firm muscles, bright eyes, and happy smiles. 
I shall weigh you to find out how much you 
have gained during the summer, and I shall 
take your height to see how tall you have 
grown. These things will tell me what good 
sports you have been during the summer. 

“How many of you think you can come 
back to school in the fall in the Spirit of Good 
Health? Are you willing to practice your 


SPORTS DAY AT SCHOOL 


141 

health habits every day? Can you remember 
to practice them without being reminded by 
your teacher? Boys and girls who can remem¬ 
ber to practice the rules of the health game 
during their vacations can be trusted as pilots 
of the Spirit of Good Health.” 

Practice in Health Training 

1. Explain what is meant by this sentence: “All work 

and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” 

2. What do you think this sentence means? “All play 

and no work makes Jack a poor sport.” 

3. Why should you play at recess time rather than 

stay inside or sit and watch others play? 

4. Name some games and stunts your grade might 

have on Sports Day. 

5. What signs of health will your teacher look for in 

September? 

6. What health rules do you think you will have to 

be careful to remember during summer vaca¬ 
tion? 

7. Write a story on “How I am going to spend my 

vacation.” 






APPENDIX 


The program presented in this book is primarily 
one of activity and health training. The amount of 
health knowledge and its method of presentation are 
adapted to the fourth-grade level. The class will 
probably spend a great deal of time in discussing the 
different health practices, in checking the extent to 
which these practices are now being followed, and in 
devising activities which will lead to the better 
establishment of right habits. This appendix may be 
helpful in the activity program. 

Weighing and Measuring 

Watching oneself grow is a procedure which is so 
interesting and so intimately related to the child’s 
health practices that it may well be given a promi¬ 
nent place in the program. It is recommended that 
the children should be weighed every month and 
measured for height at least twice a year. This is to 
determine whether the child is growing regularly, 
and it may be quite distinct from any clinical use of 
weighing and measuring in the search for under¬ 
weight children. 

In weighing, use a reliable school scale and test it 
regularly for accuracy. Avoid moving the scales 
about if possible. The child is weighed in indoor 
clothing with coat or sweater removed, and it is pref- 
143 


144 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


erable that he should remove shoes. He stands quietly 
on the middle of the scale with hands at his sides. 
Weight is taken to the nearest quarter of a pound. 

In measuring for height, use a reliable scale and 
some leveling device which may be placed upon the 
top of the head and make a right angle against the 
scale. A special measuring device may be made or a 
chalk box may be used. 

A scale of inextensible and unshrinkable paper 
suggested by the Committee on Anthropology of the 
National Research Council i$ available from the 
American Child Health Association, 370 Seventh 
Avenue, New York City. This may be tacked or 
pasted on a wall or specially prepared board. Yard¬ 
sticks or tapes fastened against the wall may be used. 
Care should be taken that the scale is accurately 
placed. 

When being measured for height, the pupil stands 
against the wall with heels together. The back is 
straight; the head is against the wall, and the child 
stands as tall as possible with heels on the floor. The 
arms are at the sides in their natural position, and the 
head is in such a position that the visual axis is hori¬ 
zontal. If the measuring device is held in the left 
hand, the reading will be taken from the right mar¬ 
gin of the scale. If it is held in the right hand, the 
reading will be taken from the left margin of the 
scale. The leveling device is brought down two or 
three times in succession on the top of the head with 


APPENDIX 


145 


enough force to feel the impact on the skull. The 
reading is taken from the last position. 

About a half pound a month is the expected gain 
for children from eight to eleven years old. It is 
more important to determine whether the child is 
growing regularly than to emphasize a slight devia¬ 
tion from normal or average weight. 

Individual weight cards and classroom wall charts 
recording age, height, and monthly gains may be 
useful. 

The weighing period provides an opportunity to 
consider individual health problems with the child. 
Take care to give special encouragement to the child 
who does not gain. Failure to gain for a month or two 
is not serious, but failure to gain for three months or 
more is the result of some cause which usually can 
be found by an interested teacher or nurse. Many 
teachers find it useful to arrange a special conference 
on health habits with individual children who fail 
to gain in weight or who are in poor physical 
condition. 

The Morning Health Review 

It has become common practice to use about five 
minutes each morning in checking evidences of good 
or poor health habits. The class is usually organized 
with captains or inspectors to check the cleanliness 
of hands, faces, teeth, nails, handkerchiefs, and shoes, 
as well as the neatness of hair and clothing. At the 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 


146 

same time the teacher looks for symptoms of illness, 
such as colds and other communicable diseases, and 
sends at once to the nurse or doctor any child who is 
coughing or sneezing, or who has flushed face, red 
and watery eyes, a running nose, or a skin rash. 

This morning health review is also used to carry 
on campaigns for the establishment of particular 
practices not subject to check by the morning inspec¬ 
tion. Most teachers prefer to emphasize one or two 
habits at a time. Stories, discussions, and special re¬ 
ports may be introduced briefly. 

The teacher takes care not to embarrass unfortu¬ 
nate children and protects them from the thought¬ 
lessness of their classmates. Pupil activity and respon¬ 
sibility are developed as far as practicable. 

Relaxation Period 

At 10 o’clock in the morning or at 2130 in the after¬ 
noon, if there has been no physical training or relief 
period up to that time, some schools allow pupils to 
stand by their desks facing the open windows for two 
minutes of stretching exercises followed by brief, 
complete relaxation in the seat. 

The Health Crusade and the Recording of 
Health Habits 

Many teachers use the Health Crusade in some 
form. Still others use similar blanks and other mate¬ 
rials provided by various organizations. When any 


APPENDIX 


147 


plan for recording health practices is used, the child 
should understand that the recording of health hab¬ 
its is to serve as a reminder. The results of his health 
program will be measured by his growth, his success 
on the playground, or in the classroom, or by other 
actual accomplishments. A perfect health score card 
or record chart is not an end in itself, but rather an 
aid in attaining an end. 

Teaching Units, or Projects 

In many school systems a large part of the health 
program will be developed through long teaching 
units and through correlation between health and 
other subjects of instruction. It is believed that the 
material and suggestions in this book will lead to the 
development of classroom activities of this type. 

Coordination of Health Activities 

The school health program always gains by coordi¬ 
nation of effort and activities. When this is done, the 
children come to recognize that the doctor and nurse 
are their friends, and the correction of physical de¬ 
fects becomes an important classroom project. Physi¬ 
cal education and health education are mutually 
strengthened by such interconnections. 


148 


IN TRAINING FOR HEALTH 

WEIGHT—HEIGHT—AGE TABLE FOR GIRLS 



About what a G I R L should gain each month. 

Age Age 

5 yrs. to 8 yrs. 6 oz. 14 yrs to 16 yrs. 8 oz. 

8 “ “ 11 “. 8 “ 16 “ “ 18 “.4 “ 

11 “ “ 14 “. 12 “ 

Courtesy of the American Child Health Association 













































































lO 00 


APPENDIX 

WEIGHT—HEIGHT—AGE TABLE FOR BOYS 


149 


Height 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

Inches 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

Yrs. 

38 

34 

34 














39 

35 

35 














40 

36 

36 














41 

38 

38 

38 













42 

39 

39 

39 

39 












43 

41 

41 

41 

41 












44 

44 

44 

44 

44 












45 

46 

46 

46 

46 

46 











46 

47 

48 

48 

48 

48 











47 

49 

50 

50 

50 

50 

50 










48 


52 

53 

53 

53 

53 










49 


55 

55 

55 

55 

55 

55 









50 


57 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 

58 








51 



61 

61 

61 

61 

61 

61 








52 



63 

64 

64 

64 

64 

64 

64 







53 



66 

67 

67 

67 

67 

68 

68 







54 




70 

70 

70 

70 

71 

71 

72 






55 




72 

72 

73 

73 

74 

74 

74 






50 




75 

76 

77 

77 

77 

78 

78 

80 





57 





79 

80 

81 

81 

82 

83 

83 





58 





83 

84 

84 

85 

85 

86 

87 





59 






87 

88 

89 

89 

90 

90 

90 




60 






91 

92 

92 

93 

94 

95 

96 




61 







95 

90 

97 

99 

100 

103 

106 



62 







100 

101 

102 

103 

104 

107 

111 

116 


63 







105 

106 

107 

108 

110 

113 

118 

123 

127 

64 








109 

111 

113 

115 

117 

121 

126 

130 

65 








114 

117 

118 

120 

122 

127 

131 

134 

66 









119 

122 

125 

128 

132 

136 

139 

67 









124 

128 

130 

134 

136 

139 

142 

68 










134 

134 

137 

141 

143 

147 

69 










137 

139 

143 

14b 

149 

152 

70 










143 

144 

145 

148 

151 

155 

71 










148 

150 

151 

152 

154 

159 

72 











153 

155 

156 

158 

163 

73 











157 

160 

162 

164 

167 

74 











160 

164 

168 

170 

171 


Prepared by Bird T. Baldwin, Ph.D., and Thomas D. Wood, M.D. 


About what a B O Y should gain each month. 


Age A S e 

yrs. to 8 yrs.6 oz. 12 yrs. to 16 yrs. 

«« « 12 “.8 “ 16 “ “ 18 “ 


Courtesy of the American Child Health Association 


16 oz 

8 41 














































































INDEX 


Alcohol, hi , 112 113, 114, 115, 
116, 117, 118, 119 
effects of, 115 

American Child Health Associa¬ 
tion, 144 
Appendix, 143 

Bathing, 32 

Bathroom, care of, 125 
Bedroom, 75 
Body temperature, 108 
Boy Scout oath, 115 
Breakfast, 43 
Breathing, 108 
Brushes, 30 

Cleanliness, 24 

in relation to meals, 124 
internal, 33 
neck and ears, 29 
of face, 29 
of hands, 29 
of teeth, 54 
rules of, 27, 34 
scoring plan, 36 
Clothing, 107 
Common cold, 26 
Coordination of school health ac¬ 
tivities, 147 

Defects, correction of, 21 
Dentist, 49, 50 
Dirt, 26 

Ears, 91 

care of, 94, 95, 99 
Eating slowly, 52 
Exercise, 104, 105, 108 
Eyes, 95, 96 
care of, 98, 99 


Feet, care of, 33 
Food habits, 125 
Food rules, 44 

Foods, in relation to teeth, 51 
Fresh air, 74, 109 

Games, 132, 133, 134, 136 
Germs, 26 
Growth, 47 
Gums, care of, 55 

Habits, formation of, 14 
Health Crusade, 146 
Health rules, 20 

Height-weight-age tables, 148, 149 

Lunch, 43 
Lungs, 108 

Milk, 39, 41, 42, 43 
Morning health review, 35, 145 
Muscles, 106 

Nail biting, 26 
Night air, 75 
Nose, care of, 30 

Open windows, 74 
Outdoor activities, some rules for, 
109 

Outdoor play, 104 

Posture, 59 

good health and, 67 
in sitting, 64, 65 
in sleeping, 67 
in standing, 61 
shadow pictures of, 62 
Practice, importance of, 13 

Relaxation period, 146 
Rest, 69, 71, 72, 76 


150 



INDEX 


151 


Safety, 80 
rules for, 81 
Shampoo, 30 
Skill, meaning of, 17 
Sleep, 69, 7a 

getting ready for, 73 
hours of, 73 
rules for, 76 
Sleeping porch, 75 
Smoking, 116, 118 
Sports Day, 1 

at the Marsh School, 131 
Sportsmanship, definition of, 10 
happiness and, 127 
in the home, 120, 123, 127 
meaning of, 4 
Stories 

The Boy Who Worued at Home, 
128 

The Class Which Ate Lunch 
Slowly, 54 

Ginger and His Accident, 85 
The Man Who Learned to Eat 
Slowly, 52 

The Mother Bird Teaches the 
Young to Fly, 15 
Playing Possum, 69 
Sports Day at the Marsh School, 

131 


Stories —Continued 

The Sportsmanship of Jack and 
Ted, 4 

Sweetie and Samson, 38 
The Teacher Who Reported Her 
Health Habits, 126 
Wee Brownie and the Echo, 91 
What Mother Owes Billy, 120 
Who Am I ? 30 
Sunshine, health value of, 102 

Table manners, 125 
Tan, 103 

Teaching units, 147 
Teeth, 49 

brushing of, 54 
first and second sets, 57 
kinds of, 52 
rules for care of, 58 
Tobacco, hi, 116, 117 
Toothbrush, care of, 56 
Training, 138 
meaning of, 3 
Truthfulness, 126 

Vacation, 138 

Weighing and measuring, 143 





















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































